Friday, May 31, 2013

After Earth (2013)

Director: M. Night Shyamalan. Cast: Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Sophie Okonedo, Zoë Kravitz. 100 min. Rated PG-13. Adventure/Sci-Fi.

Father and son crash-land on a futuristic uninhabitable Earth, and the injured father sends his son on a grueling trek to find and activate a beacon in the broken-off tail of the ship, 100 kilometers away. M. Night Shyamalan has taken a nose-dive since his two break-out films, The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, but this can be considered a redemption. It contains messages of protecting the environment, respecting family values, and zen-like approach to confronting your fears ("Fear is a choice."). I was entertained, dazzled, mystified, and repeatedly moved throughout the film. But again, I have a weak spot for sci-fi.

PS: I cannot fathom why the critics blasted this movie, but I can imagine why Will Smith had to forfeit playing Django in Tarantino's movie (with Jamie Foxx ending up with the role). After all, he wrote this movie's story, and it's a great vehicle for both him and his son.

Mo says:

2 comments:

  1. Me too, Will Smith is not my favorite actor as he doesn't seem to have a humble bone is his body.

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    1. Hahaha. When it comes to Tarantino offering you a starring role in his movie, *everybody* should become humble.

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