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Thursday, May 2, 2024
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HOLLYWOOD AFTER EARTH
EDITOR'S PICK
`After
Earth` - dazzles, but fails to impress (IANS Movie Review)
Rating: **1/2
"After Earth" is not the archetypal sci-fi film, but it`s a special
film: remarkable and sagacious. The futuristic action film is the hero`s journey
layered with lessons about fear and danger, hope and despair, father-son bonding
and, alas, am I trying to read too much into the film?
Probably yes.
The film begins like a parable with visuals of natural disasters layered with a
voice-over that states; "I heard stories of the Earth as a paradise until
we destroyed it." And the highly evolved humans migrated to a planet called
Nova Prime.
Unfortunately, the planet was already claimed by another predator species, with
razor fangs and pincers called `Ursas`, who hunt by smelling fear. The humans
managed to curb the Ursas by overcoming their fear.
The film trails Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) a budding ambitious cadet, carrying
his own emotional baggage.
Kitai is in awe of his father the General and Prime Commander Cypher Raige (Will
Smith) for his ability to `ghost fight`; slang for fighting without fear. But at
the same time, Kitai is slowly turning into a rebel. The cause? "He is
missing his father," who is always out on a mission.
So as a bonding exercise, Kitai accompanies his father on a mission to Ethos in
a dynamic spacecraft. Enroute, they encounter an asteroid storm. Their spaceship
gets damaged and they crash land on Earth. While the debris of the ruined
spaceship is strewn across 100 kms, only father and son are the sole survivors.
Unfortunately, by this time, "everything on earth has evolved to kill
humans."
Kitai sets out to locate the tail end of the ship and a homing beacon that will
get them safely off the planet while Cypher stays put to mend his broken legs
and guide him through virtual imaging. Kitai`s journey is not an easy one, as
evolved species, rugged terrain and a vicious alien, bar his path.
Once communications are cut off, Kitai must make his way alone through dangerous
territory. Throughout their ordeal, both father and son are strengthened by warm
family memories of mother Faia (Sophie Okonedo) and sister Senshi (Zoe Kravitz).
Even though physically absent, their strong bonds clearly help keep Kitai going,
until he`s finally able to face his fears and defeat the alien monster tracking
him along the way.
Will Smith as Cypher Raige realistically portrays the stern, strict military
man, often away from home on long tours of duty and unable to show much emotion
to others. Jaden Smith, as Kitai, stands his ground with an equally strong
performance. But somewhere down the line they don`t seem to touch a chord as the
tasks performed by them seem very mechanical.
The visual effects are very impressive, especially when Kitai is being chased by
a pack of wild-irritated baboons and on another instance when he is chased by
the giant bird. Also, kudos to composer James Newton Howard, for a strong
soundtrack that blends into the film.
Director M. Night Shyamalan ensures that the cinematography and the computer
generated images seamlessly merge to give a surreal output. The ecosystem on
both the planets - Nova Prime and Earth are distinct. The director has taken
pains in ensuring the detailing of every specimen that`s shown on screen.
Unfortunately, it`s the weak story with a slow automated and dragging plot, that
does not support all of its impressive trappings and probably the reason why it
fails to impress.
One thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity’s escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankind’s new home. Legendary General Cypher Raige (Will Smith) returns from an extended tour of duty to his estranged family, ready to be a father to his 13-year-old son, Kitai (Jaden Smith). When an asteroid storm damages Cypher and Kitai’s craft, they crash-land on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. As his father lies dying in the cockpit, Kitai must trek across the hostile terrain to recover their rescue beacon. His whole life, Kitai has wanted nothing more than to be a soldier like his father. Today, he gets his chance.
