Read Mixed User Reviews for After Earth

4

lasttimeisawJul 17, 2013

Based on a weekly turnover, in China it is pretty frustrating to find an ideal film to watch in cinema to meet everyone’s taste, this week, the best offer (for me) is AFTER EARTH, a North American flop stars Smith Family, directed by theBased on a weekly turnover, in China it is pretty frustrating to find an ideal film to watch in cinema to meet everyone’s taste, this week, the best offer (for me) is AFTER EARTH, a North American flop stars Smith Family, directed by the ever-downgrading wunderkind Mr. Shyamalan (this time descends to the hack hired by Will Smith personally). With zero expectation, the film is a slim action adventure exploits Will Smith’s star power to bolster his son Jaden Smith, but the paper-thin script and a sub-par visual SFX bewilders its viewers where its reported budget goes ($130,000,000)?, call me a sceptic, is the whole hubbub an internal money-laundry chicanery?

A pseudo-epic start briefly justifies why mankind abandons the earth, and relocates at a new planet with the new arch enemy, a fear-sensing brute. After a reckless asteroids attack, an aircraft crash-lands on earth and miraculously all the crew are dead except for Jaden and Will, the latter is the commander of the team and is injured and immobilized by broken legs for rest of the film, up till then, the film plunges into a young boy’s journey of seeking courage by facing a menagerie of mutant wild animals on his quest to track down a beacon apparatus which he could use to call for the rescue team, and now is in the rear part of the craft and lies amid the formidable wilderness, it is also a boy’s rite-of-passage to overcome a past trauma and save himself and his father, who treats him with military disciplines, but a role-model for the whole race because of his “ghosting” skill, which is facilely interpreted as a fearless warrior who is able to be invisible to the brutes, everything is well-foreseen by viewers’s imagination and the film fails to ignite audiences’ passion at all.

A glum Jaden Smith and ultra-wooden Will Smith can barely hold together the film (one wonders what has happened to the pair in THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS 2006, 7/10), already it is character-scarce, Sophie Okonedo is shamefully underused in the Will Smith’s Wife Club, and a dazzling Zoe Kravitz glints only in flashbacks and illusory parts, then all the CGI creatures take the stage by turns, and the final showdown turns out to be a major letdown, again I am very curious about how they spent the gargantuan budget? It looks too cheap compared with other summer tentpoles.

It is inevitable a stain in Mr. Smith’s filmography, the mass is repellent and jealous of nepotism especially when he or she is a superstar, the Smith family may be too keen in showcasing their ambition to establish their dynasty in Hollywood showbiz, this setback should alert them, the market is not ready yet for a blatant mega-family contrivance. Anyhow, what’s more disheartening for me is the career orbit of M. Shyamalan, to witness the fall of a young talent is never easy, although we could assume one must reach rock-bottom to bounce back, in that case, I do hope AFTER EARTH is his fortunate nadir.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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4

KhalakkaJul 15, 2013

Poorly executed lack of character, way to short they could have done much better with an extra of 20 minutes visually good and the Smiths family fit in nicely

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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4

LTROct 12, 2013

This is an okay movie.The father-son duo isn't as good as everyone thought.The world is pretty cool,some of the scenes were random and the end was pretty fast.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

AdamA7XNov 19, 2013

Was expecting this film to be total crap, wasn't half as bad as I expected! Decent storyline etc. but some of the acting seemed pretty bland. Not great but surprisingly entertaining and watchable

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

jules_mozarNov 18, 2013

I was expecting this to be a complete failure. I didn't go see it at the theater because the previews just did absolutely nothing for me. Well after watching the movie I have to say I'm actually pleased. I rather enjoyed the movie even if soI was expecting this to be a complete failure. I didn't go see it at the theater because the previews just did absolutely nothing for me. Well after watching the movie I have to say I'm actually pleased. I rather enjoyed the movie even if so many of the graphics looked utterly fake.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

vikesh2206Nov 10, 2014

It has more flaws (uninteresting characters, slow pacing, small storyline, predictability) than strengths but After Earth is focused on its plot and offers enough visual thrills to qualify as a passable movie.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

airwindJun 16, 2013

A very straightforward movie but i enjoyed it much compared to oblivion.

The way it was phrased by Will Smith, "Everything has evolved to kill human", i was hoping for more in the way of obstacles. Definitely a rise for M Night from hisA very straightforward movie but i enjoyed it much compared to oblivion.

The way it was phrased by Will Smith, "Everything has evolved to kill human", i was hoping for more in the way of obstacles.

Definitely a rise for M Night from his previous movie.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

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5

Forrestgump1Jun 4, 2013

"Aside from the films tacky ending, After Earth is not going to wow you with its visuals or make your jaw-drop, but if you can get past some of the performances you may enjoy this sci-fi adventure, this is M. Night's first good movie in about"Aside from the films tacky ending, After Earth is not going to wow you with its visuals or make your jaw-drop, but if you can get past some of the performances you may enjoy this sci-fi adventure, this is M. Night's first good movie in about a decade." C… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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6

Max15Jun 14, 2013

I liked it, maybe when I saw it my suspension of disbelief was at a high point, so I ignored all the things that made this movie terrible for everyone else, I don't know, but I was entertained.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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4

PStakhivJun 6, 2013

SOME CRITICS REVIEWS ARE BS. It's a solid 6/10 movie, it delivers when it supposed to immersive survival action, nice visuals, original and interesting setting! It has problems, but overall it a alright average action!

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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6

NephylymMay 31, 2013

I actually enjoyed this! I think it is about time that M.Night leaves "the twist" to Chuck Berry Story was okay, chemistry between Will Smith and his son is obviously there... I quite enjoyed it!

10 of 22 users found this helpful1012

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6

hapycampr2002Jun 5, 2013

I enjoyed the movie while I was watching it as long as I didn't think too much. There were some holes in the storytelling. Nothing great, but entertaining. I thought the CGI was fantastic. I thought the story was a good premise. JadenI enjoyed the movie while I was watching it as long as I didn't think too much. There were some holes in the storytelling. Nothing great, but entertaining. I thought the CGI was fantastic. I thought the story was a good premise. Jaden Smith is not a good enough actor to carry the movie, which is required of him. I would recommend that whoever is thinking of seeing it wait until it comes out on DVD. I'm disappointed by Shyamalan. I liked "Sixth Sense" and loved "Signs", and I even really liked "The Last Airbender." But he's fallen pretty far. Unfortunate.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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5

ZilcellJun 3, 2013

While far from the best that Will and Jaden have done, After Earth executes an adventure with relative ease, providing uplifting morals and intense action. However, After Earth may be the shortest 1 hr and 40 minutes I have ever spent in aWhile far from the best that Will and Jaden have done, After Earth executes an adventure with relative ease, providing uplifting morals and intense action. However, After Earth may be the shortest 1 hr and 40 minutes I have ever spent in a movie theater. Very thinly plotted and doesn't embrace the world in a believable way.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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4

ScrawnyPunkJun 10, 2013

I think M. Night gets unfairly abused by critics many times, but this was not one of them. While the movie's themes are very good, the film is questionable at best. The heart of the film is a father's love for his son made manifest byI think M. Night gets unfairly abused by critics many times, but this was not one of them. While the movie's themes are very good, the film is questionable at best. The heart of the film is a father's love for his son made manifest by forcing the son to become his own man not by coddling or insisting on an identical path, but literally kicking him out of the nest (ship) to find his own way with just enough aid not to get killed. I don't think this is a very common parenting style these days, but I respect the Fresh Prince for taking it to screen.

However, this movie was not the best vehicle for it. The science is bad enough to kill suspension of disbelief and the set pieces are just this side of 1960's French Sci-Fi (i.e. weird, incongruous with the implied technology, and already dated). The most glaring bit of weirdness is the idea that an old-growth forest can be flash-frozen every few hours without permanent cellular damage...it doesn't make a lot of sense, and neither does a lot of the "science" elements in this film (like turbulence in space).

Perhaps a present-time marooning would be a better vehicle? Or a slightly-improved attention to details which Sci-Fi fans normally obsess over? Or...and I am going out on a limb here...maybe a different planet? The fact that it is earth does nothing for the movie.

In summary not a good movie. As always, M. Night does a good job filming and pacing, but there are just too many other mistakes to overlook.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

Movie1997Jun 4, 2013

I tried writing a review this past Friday, but for some reason, it wouldn't submit. So i'm gonna try again and hopefully this time it'll submit. Anyway, long story short this movie was boring. I;m not one of those people who thought thisI tried writing a review this past Friday, but for some reason, it wouldn't submit. So i'm gonna try again and hopefully this time it'll submit. Anyway, long story short this movie was boring. I;m not one of those people who thought this movie was completely terrible, but was very uninteresting and unsatisfying. All the movie is is Will Smith and his son exploring the "new world". Actually I take that back, it's Will Smith's son who explores this new world. This concept was just completely boring. Aside from the decent visuals, the story just goes nowhere. Some parts I could handle, others I just simply couldn't. After "The Last Airbender", I figured he'd learn from his mistakes. I guess not. He needs to go back to making great movies like his old ones such as "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable", and "Signs". But for now I guess we're stuck with this. Sadly I still have a little bit of hope for M. Night Shyamalan. I hope he learns from his mistakes in his next movie. If not, I'm done with him. Overall, just go watch "Now You See Me" this week.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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4

Sosmooth1982Apr 14, 2023

Decent movie. Nothing like dad giving you a lead role. There should have been more fighting in the movie instead of seeing him struggle so much.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

Apemonkey666Sep 24, 2013

The story is so goddamn thin you can sum it up in one sentence: Will & Jaden Smith crash on a planet, Jaden has to get to a beacon so they can get saved. That's it. Oh yeah, there is a very short intro to all this but it's incrediblyThe story is so goddamn thin you can sum it up in one sentence: Will & Jaden Smith crash on a planet, Jaden has to get to a beacon so they can get saved. That's it. Oh yeah, there is a very short intro to all this but it's incredibly superficial and trivial. Ok, so the film might not be as bad as they say, but this not how scifi is supposed to be. Today's movie technology alows directors to put anything on the screen they ever wanted and this is all they could come up with? These Hollywood folk are getting so lazy even the saturday night pop-corn munching audience is going to start noticing. In fact, they have noticed, coz nobody went out and saw it. And uh...M. Night Shyamalan, your jig's up. Start looking for another job. This was your last chance.… Expand