Director M. Night Shyamalan, who is in dire need of a hit after the failures of The Happening and Lady in the Lake, is banking on The Last Airbender’s success.

The new film, opening Friday, has its share of special effects, and shooting films with an epic scope is not intimidating for the filmmaker. After all, one of his most seminal moviegoing experiences came at the hands of George Lucas and a youth named Luke Skywalker. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR BELOW TO HEAR M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN)