Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Film Mad Wind Skillz
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 12:52 PM
I've written about the weird whitewash casting of The Last Airbender, the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan adaptation of the manga/anime of the same name. Well, the first trailer is out:
And it at least looks impressive in a summer-movie kind of way, especially for an M. Night Shyamalan movie. Although the soundtrack, specifically that flute-ish instrument that always plays in kung fu movie trailers, suggests that The Last Airbender is going to have a weird cultural goulash kind of feel. I'm really interested to see what's going to happen with this movie; in a lot of ways, Hollywood has been okay with being subtly racist toward Asian-Americans for a long time now. I've figured that at some point it would reach a tipping point of not-okay-ness. Perhaps The Last Airbender is that point.
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4
Noone cares about that angle.
Looks like a good flick.
I don't need to invent, nor do I need to fan any flames of controversy, when clearly none are present.
Looks like a good flick.
I don't need to invent, nor do I need to fan any flames of controversy, when clearly none are present.
5
#1 While I would agree, it WAS animated in Asia.
And in an anime style.
But not Japan.
So I can understand the confusion.
And in an anime style.
But not Japan.
So I can understand the confusion.
6
If anything, the movie "21" should have been that tipping point.
But who knows- I'm also really pissed that Jake Gyllenhaal is playing the Prince of Persia.
But who knows- I'm also really pissed that Jake Gyllenhaal is playing the Prince of Persia.
7
@1 is right. As is @5.
That said, it could be like Kung Fu Panda - everyone hated it until they saw it and loved it.
That said, it could be like Kung Fu Panda - everyone hated it until they saw it and loved it.
8
Boo on M. Night plastering his name over it! He may be the director, but he didn't create the concept.
The Trailer is a complete Meh, and between the idiotic casting (the casting notes include asking the Koreans to come in their traditional Kimono), M. Night's deteriorating reputation, I'd say this one will be a bomb.
The Trailer is a complete Meh, and between the idiotic casting (the casting notes include asking the Koreans to come in their traditional Kimono), M. Night's deteriorating reputation, I'd say this one will be a bomb.
9
And I hear Zac Efron is tapped to play the lead in the American whitewash of DeathNote.
No, that's not a joke.
No, that's not a joke.
10
This is Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus with a humongous budget: crappy premise, crappy directing, crappy acting, but at least it has visuals!
13
As for the trailer, voice-over sucked. And what about this for music?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRoUpDON0…
It's got candles! lots of candles! And slo-mo! C'mannnnn!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRoUpDON0…
It's got candles! lots of candles! And slo-mo! C'mannnnn!
16
@7: I'm curious, how do you whitewash Deathnote.
I mean it's about a kid who comes into possession of a magical journal that KILLS people.
Could make for a great rated R or even PG-13 movie, if done right, though.
@14, I know that but I was just saying I understand the confusion, since Avatar also deals with Asian culture and martial arts.
I mean it's about a kid who comes into possession of a magical journal that KILLS people.
Could make for a great rated R or even PG-13 movie, if done right, though.
@14, I know that but I was just saying I understand the confusion, since Avatar also deals with Asian culture and martial arts.
17
Well, Arsenic, I can see how it _could_ work. In that the holder of the original Deathnote was supposed to be a slightly good looking kid that nobody would suspect was pure evil.
But who will be cast for his female counterpart - J. Fox? That would be terrible.
But who will be cast for his female counterpart - J. Fox? That would be terrible.
18
Shut up, #4. Take a look at any professional movie or TV show and ask when you see a person of color working a role that wasn't explicitly written for for that race. You may come up with a handful, I'm sure, but its a frighteningly small number.
I briefly pursued a career in acting, and from observation of my peers it sucks to be non-white, since the only (highly competitive) jobs you get are to play a stereotype, and usually in a minor role.
And ditto on #8: MNS plastering his name on it makes my stomach lurch, and the series is better than him.
I briefly pursued a career in acting, and from observation of my peers it sucks to be non-white, since the only (highly competitive) jobs you get are to play a stereotype, and usually in a minor role.
And ditto on #8: MNS plastering his name on it makes my stomach lurch, and the series is better than him.
20
I agree that they should have casted someone of color before Dev Patel (and he was replacing someone else) these people are from all over the "world" in the story. That said, a lot of the characters looked white in the show (not all....).
I'd highly recommend watching the television show. I, for one, am seriously nervous about the quality of the movie when I know how enjoyable the show was. That's my only real concern.
I'd highly recommend watching the television show. I, for one, am seriously nervous about the quality of the movie when I know how enjoyable the show was. That's my only real concern.
22
In the TV series all the writings were in CHINESE and most of the characters dress in asian style clothing. Yeah sure it made a lot of sense to use almost all white actors in a clearly asian-influenced movie.
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