I watch basically every sci fi or blockbuster action that goes through the box office. Based on the negative talk around After Earth and the huge disappointment that was Shamylan’s last movie (The Last Airbender), I decided not to see it.
The bad reviews reached a crescendo, but my curiosity was piqued by a few folks on imdb asking the negative reviewers if they’d really been watching the same movie. There seemed to be a consensus amongst this minority that After Earth is watchable after all.
I started thinking about taste, that things can appear horrible to some people and half-decent to others. Why do some things seem to bifurcate otherwise homogenous groups (such as sci-fi fans on IMDB)? I wondered what it is about After Earth that is making some IMDB sic-fi fans see the movie one way, and some another.
So I watched the damn thing.
It’s true, it’s watchable. Not fantastic, not above average in anyway, but watchable. I was never that excited, but unlike some other highly rated movies (*cough Dark Knight*) I wasn’t eye-rollingly bored.
I liked the fear theme… “danger is real, fear is a choice.” Poignant. I liked the simplicity of the movie. I didn’t feel like someone had just stolen my money. It definitely wasn’t the worst theme of the year (*cough Resident Evil*).
Will Smith was blandish, but his role of a disciplinarian father who grows to respect his son wasn’t an easy one – and wasn’t written that well in the script, or perhaps not effectively directed, or both.
In an emotionally laden role Jaden Smith seemed to struggle, but as above, I don’t blame the actor.
The plot was dead simple – the movie looked a bit like a cut scene from a computer game.
Yet I’m still curious why some folks felt insulted by the movie why others like me didn’t. Perhaps our standards are just higher now? The last three years of action and sci-fi have definitely seen the dial turned up 150% in terms of pacing and scale. I’m talking Transformers, Star Trek and the upcoming Pacific Rim (hopefully).
Perhaps After Earth was not huge enough to satisfy action buffs, and not complex or interesting enough to placate sci-fi fans.
I guess After Earth was just unremarkable in an age where things are required to be remarkable. Other writers and directors might have brought Will Smith’s pet project (he came up with the concept and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, produced) to different fruition, but what’s done is done and if you like sci-fi-ish films, go see it.
3/5.
