After Earth Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan Starring: Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: June 7, 2013
Trailer Score: 6/10
Thoughts by TSR: I'm just realizing that I haven't seen Jaden Smith in anything other than The Pursuit of Happyness. Having skipped The Karate Kid back in 2010, I have no idea if he has the skills to pull off leading this film. What I have to go on is this trailer, and he does not look especially impressive. Let me rephrase: he looks perfectly capable when playing the cocky recruit at the beginning and during the survival aspects after the crash. It's when he is talking or yelling at his father that he's less convincing.
You know, he's not the only one with that issue in this family affair (Will and Jaden and Jada Pinkett Smith, oh my). His father isn't all that impressive either. My favorite moment is probably when the elder Smith tracks something closing in on his son. Sadly, the tension is almost all undone by the way he comically says, "It has found you." Later, he apparently opts to do a Morgan Freeman impression when he says, "“Remember: Danger is very real, but fear is a choice.” Okay, so maybe the talking is going to be a bit of an issue in this film. The rest, fortunately, looks fairly entertaining. There is some decent action going on, and I do like the idea of exploring Earth long after it has been abandoned.
Oh, right! It's directed by famous movie director M. Night Shyamalan. But shhh, the people behind the marketing for After Earth definitely don't want you to know that.