MTV Review: After Earth
Will Smith) and his son Kitai (Jaden Smith) are the sole survivors as they smash down on Earth 1,000 years after the human race were forced to abandon their uninhabitable planet.
With Cypher breaking both his legs in the crash, he guides Kitai from the wrecked spaceship as the teenager embarks on a dangerous trek to find their emergency beacon to signal for help. Having recently not advanced to become a ranger and everything on Earth evolved to kill humans, Kitai must man-up as his frosty father watches on.
Best Scene: Despite his progress which featured out-running ferocious baboons and clashing with sabre-toothed cats, Kitai is ordered to abort his mission. After an emotional argument, he disobeys his distant dad and leaps off a sheer drop. His suit becomes bat-like as he plummets, but we realise he’s being pursued by an enormous eagle.
Best One Liner: Cypher’s wise words to Kitai: “Fear is not real – it is a product of the thoughts you create. Danger is very real, but fear is a choice.”
Date Movie or Mate Movie? It has neither the date appeal of his romantic comedy Hitch nor the mate appeal of his Miami cop bromance Bad Boys, but everyone loves Will Smith so you can watch After Earth with anyone you want.
Scene Stealer: This is Jaden’s film, but Lenny Kravitz’s daughter Zoë plays a pretty good sister.
WTF Moment: As their spaceship spirals out of control, Cypher tries to calm his son. But seconds later Kitai is screaming into his breathing mask as the aircraft rips apart, sucking away his father.
MTV Rating: You can’t help feeling the king of the summer blockbuster has written this story simply to introduce his fresh prince. Jaden is a future superstar for sure, but unfortunately After Earth isn’t out of this world.
While some of the visuals and special effects are excellent, it’s quite slow and strange to see an actor as popular as Will Smith playing such an unlikeable character. Hopefully they will share the big screen again, because this father-son film doesn’t do justice how entertaining they are together in real life.
Ben Lowe @mtvuknews