Will and Jaden Smith team-up in this futuristic action film from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan. Check out the review after the jump.
Megastar Will Smith plays the improbably titled Cypher Raige, a war hero in the future and a man who shows no fear – ever. Looking to follow in his father’s footsteps, Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) is a cadet who, while a top student, isn’t quite ready to make it as a soldier.
After a family argument, Cypher decides to take his son on a mission, but problems arise when the ship they are in hits a meteor field and they crash on a planet that has been deemed too dangerous to visit – Earth. 
The crash immobilises Cypher, so he sends his son with nothing more than a stick, to locate the other half of the ship and set of an emergency beacon. Earth is now lush with plants and trees, but dangerous creatures are around, including a blind alien that can smell fear that just so happened to be aboard the ship when it crashed.
Since the film’s release, it has been panned by critics alike all over the world, so it was hard to ignore all the criticisms whilst watching. Unfortunately the low scores are deserved.
The movie itself looks great, the future Earth looks beautiful with its green landscape and flowing waterfalls, the effects are very good too. What really lets the film down is the story and characters. The film is mostly boring and none of the characters are likeable. You don’t find yourself rooting for the Raiges to get back home.
M. Night Shyamalan, who has gone from a promising director to a huge disappointment more with every film, has managed to get Will Smith to look like an average actor. The character of Cypher Raige could be played by any actor of any colour. Also, it is obvious that Jaden doesn’t have the likeability factor of his father, yet it feels like he is being forced upon us as the Heir to the Fresh Prince crown. Don’t get me wrong, he isn’t awful in After Earth, but he isn’t great either. His opening speech is delivered with the same enthusiasm of a vegetarian in a hot dog eating competition.
To round things up, After Earth could have been great had the team spent more time on the script and giving us character we actually like.
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