This article comes from Den of Geek UK. “ The Last Airbender is an agonizing experience in every category I can think of and others still waiting to be invented.” So began of The Last Airbender. It sounds harsh, but Ebert's half-star verdict was fairly representative of the tidal wave of criticism that engulfed director 's most expensive and, ultimately, most derided film yet. But unlike other misfires from Shyamalan, this wasn't based on his own original idea. It was the first of a planned trilogy based on the beloved Nickelodeon series, which was hugely acclaimed for its visual sense, engrossing storytelling and lively, vibrant characters. What went wrong?