Review by Jasmine McCaine
Running time: 100 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some violence, blood and gore
After Earth made its way to theaters last Friday and saw a dismal opening weekend after bringing only $29 million of the $130 million budget. Starring Will Smith and his rising-star son Jaden, this family affair was not so well perceived, only receiving a recommendation rate of 12 percent on the film critiquing site, Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the most criticized films of the summer thus far. Will Smith fans were eagerly awaiting Smith’s blockbuster, but they’ll have to wait a little longer -- possibly until his next sequel, as Hancock, Bad Boys, and I, Robot are all rumored to be next on Smith’s radar according to IMDb.
The film is futuristically set on an Earth which is no longer habitable, and the story is really just a tale about General Cypher Raige (Smith senior) and his son Kitai (Smith junior). They have crashed on Earth 1,000 years after humans have evacuated. Their mission is to travel 100 kilometers on a treacherous terrain that is filled with beasts (similar those in my favorite movie, Avatar) and work together if they want any chance at returning home. The bad news is that Smith senior spends much of the film on his back with two broken legs due to the crash, so yes, viewers are paying to see an immobile Will Smith. However, if you’re paying to see adorable Jaden, you’re in luck because he steals the show once the general has to monitor and dictate every one of Kitai’s steps.
“This is not training,” the general tells his son and, boy, is he right. The stakes are raised a bit when Kitai loses the camera and microphone that allow him to communicate with his controlling father, and the kid is forced to get by on his own. Unfortunately, this young character seems one-dimensional, impulsive and whiny as he spends much of the movie shouting for the predators he encounters to leave him alone. This is also after his father has given him a speech about fear, in which I found some truth: “Fear is not real...it is the product of thoughts that you create.” Genius.
Overall, the costumes and graphics aren’t the greatest, which is pretty true of sci-fi films. I also don’t believe that Smith junior possesses his father’s natural onscreen presence and charisma. After Earth is essentially a coming-of-age tale about a boy and his stonecold father who finds it much easier to boss around his son than to say “I love you.” Director M. Night Shyamalan is practically begging his audience for tears when there is harmony.
If you search for other reviews of this movie, you’ll find harsh comparisons between great Will Smith films and After Earth. You’ll find criticism of scientology-based films and why they aren’t bringing in the big bucks. The problem with this film, I think, is that people had assumed that this would be another box-office powerhouse for Will Smith; however, while watching the film, it quickly became apparent that it’s a Jaden Smith film instead. I think that it’s best to first decide which of the Smiths draws you in to see this movie and whether or not you’re into post-apocalyptic story lines, and then you’ll know if it’s worth your money.
