Avatar: The Last Airbender (review with MINOR spoilers)

[Afterthought]

after originally seeing some episodes of this with my nephew, I first thought "somebody was on some really good stuff at the time."
but it grew on me a bit.
then the trailer - looked pretty dang awesome.
M. Night Shyamalan directing? not terribly worried.
so after seeing this movie I'm left wondering 2 things -
1) why didn't the trailer scene make the film?
2) why do critics not like it?

it's not the best film ever, nor the best of the summer, but why are the critics all up in arms about it?
remember this - it's based off of a children's program, not Mash, ER, House, or even Hee Haw.
so this leads me to think of 2 different things:
1) either the critics are secretly DEVOUT fans of the show, and the slightest thing off makes them cry foul
2) OR too many kids at the film got rowdy and pissed them off.

granted, the actors don't get much screen time for characterization but it's the first film in a line of movies.
nobody ever gets their whole story told in the first act. except JAWS, I can give you that one.
some notes -
1) watching this with rumble seats in the theatre - KICKS ASS
2) props for a kids movie touching on the point of genocide. that had to be an awkward sell.
3) the effects, boom boom pows, CGI stuff is pretty cool
4) watching The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi in a serious role is difficult, because he's too dang funny.

overall, it's an ok film for the summer. dub thee - 7.47 smashies.