In a post a while back (Pattern) I mentioned the first several major releases of M. Night Shyamalan and how boys were central to their story. Then I mentioned the absence of boys in his later work, and the much weaker audience response.
Well, very soon there will be a new Shyamalan movie. The Last Airbender. Guess who the central character is. An extremely powerful, very playful, immature, adorable, heroic 12-year-old boy! Or 112-year-old boy, depending on how you count it…
The movie is based on Avatar: the Last Airbender which aired on Nickelodeon. Three seasons of around 20 half-hour episodes. I recently discovered the series (through the movie trailer, actually) and watched it twice through in a row! It is VERY good, whether you be adult or child; boylover, gay or straight; male or female. I recommend you go watch the show!
Sadly, I do not have high hopes that returning a boy to the central role of Shyamalan’s movie will prove to be an omen of high quality. Unless the trailer is just very cheesily cut, it doesn’t look like it will ever move beyond cliché YA flick. Such a shame…
To all men else uncouth 