Movies In Review: After Earth

After Earth is a dramatic, futuristic depiction of the perseverance of the human race. Earth has to be evacuated, so humans retreat to a different planet where huge insect like aliens hunt them. Ghost rangers are soldiers that are fighting for survival, for all man kind. Will Smith and Jaden Smith, a real life father and son duo, join forces to create this epic dramatization of a family struggling through a loss, and having to depend on each other to survive the quarantined planet earth once their ship crash lands on it.

Will Smith's character, Cypher, is a senior commander who has just arrived home after, what is presumed, a long tour.  Jaden's character, Katai, is having a hard time advancing in his Cadette training. Cypher seems like a person that has had to put up an impenetrable wall, in order to continue to fight for survival, not only for himself, but for his family. This is probably why, through the tragic loss of their daughter, he has continued to shut-down. Where Katai, having first-hand experienced his sisters tragic death, by the hands of a nasty alien insect, is harboring too many emotions, with not enough guidance or help from his father. This leaves Katai to his own fears, that his father thinks the worst of him.

"Take a knee Cadette"

Once they have crash landed on the now quarantined Earth, their circumstances become more dire once Cypher announces that both of his legs are broken. Furthermore, that Katai will have to travel some distance, in hostile territory and extreme terrain to retrieve the working beacon. The landscapes are gorgeous and it is great to see a depiction of what Earth would look like without the human species upon it.

Cypher trying to reel his son in while the ship is being torn apart!

Overall - I think this movie is a great watch. I'm sure it isn't for everyone, but I enjoyed watching the Smith's talents. I enjoyed watching Will Smith play this sort of character, something I can't remember seeing him do before. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Will Smith's character, Cypher reprimands his son sternly at the dinner table (for his disrespectful tone). I enjoyed this only because I feel that children need more discipline and respect for others. I would definitely watch this movie again, maybe not in the theater, I'll wait for the DVD now. But I do hope that they will include behind the scenes documentaries and things - I love those.