--- title: "After Earth" year: 2013 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/after-earth" fi1m_score: 38 critics_score: 36 critics_reviews: 23 published: "2026-09-16T15:05:11.873626+00:00" updated: "2026-09-16T15:05:34.608832+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # After Earth (2013) Directed by M. Night Shyamalan · 1h 40m · MPA PG-13 · Science Fiction, Action, Adventure **Fi1m score: 38** · Critics 36 from 23 reviews *In a sentence:* A father-son jungle adventure with the conversational warmth of a compulsory training course > M. Night Shyamalan’s science-fiction survival film gives Jaden Smith plenty of danger and little useful dialogue. A few handsome images interrupt a dull father-son lesson in courage that struggles to get its jungle adventure moving. ## Synopsis A crash strands Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and his father, Cypher Raige (Will Smith), on a future Earth hostile to human life. Cypher can offer little direct help, leaving Kitai to face the jungle and its dangerous animals. Staying alive means acting under pressure while dealing with a father who treats fear as something to be controlled. Their strained relationship is part of a family story that also includes Faia Raige (Sophie Okonedo). Kitai needs to make his way through unfamiliar country, with the dangers around him made harder to manage by the demands of his father. ## Review *After Earth* wants to turn a boy’s struggle to survive into a lesson about managing fear, with his father providing the instruction. M. Night Shyamalan directs it with a seriousness that leaves little space for surprise or pleasure, and the result is a poor adventure. A crash strands Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and Cypher Raige (Will Smith) on a future Earth where the animals are dangerous and the family relationship is already difficult. That is enough to start a survival film, but this one keeps asking us to concentrate on the lesson. The story is credited to Will Smith, with a screenplay by M. Night Shyamalan and Gary Whitta, and its central difficulty is the way these two people speak. Cypher’s sternness is easy to understand; the dialogue does little to suggest what Kitai might find worth loving beneath it. Exchanges about fear and duty make the father sound as though he is assessing the boy rather than trying to reach him. There is a worthwhile subject here, a child learning to act without constant parental direction, but the writing states it so insistently that we have little left to discover in the performances. Jaden Smith makes an effort to give Kitai’s anxiety some force, and the visible strain occasionally helps a story about a boy expected to do too much. The performance becomes less convincing when the dialogue insists on explaining feelings that his face has already supplied. Will Smith has the more passive part, and plays the father’s reserve so firmly that even their disagreements struggle to generate much energy. Both performances remain hemmed in by the solemn dialogue. The physical setting offers more to enjoy. Peter Suschitzky’s cinematography gives the wilderness enough beauty to make us wish we could look around without another lesson arriving. Thomas E. Sanders’s production design also catches the eye, although the polished futuristic sets tell us little about the people who use them. The attention to animals and their surroundings is welcome; the computer-generated threats themselves are less persuasive, especially when the encounters begin to repeat. We were bored by the jungle chases, because each new danger seemed to demand the same anxious response without making the journey more interesting. Steven Rosenblum’s editing does not give those encounters enough momentum to overcome their familiarity. James Newton Howard’s score supplies urgency more reliably than the action does, leaving the music to insist that something exciting is happening. The quieter passages work better, when the direction gives us time to wonder what might be nearby instead of pressing the point. A survival adventure can work with a simple route and a small cast if the next obstacle feels uncertain or the people become better company. Here the plotting is obvious and the emotional instructions are repeated, so the modest 100-minute running time still feels stretched. Most critics have found it dull, and we agree, although the care in parts of the visual design gives us something to enjoy between the lectures. If the hostile-Earth premise is the attraction, be prepared for long stretches of solemn family instruction. *Fi1m score 38, published 16 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find After Earth a sluggish science-fiction survival story, with little excitement in its action or conviction in its father-son drama. The limited praise clusters around moments of visual invention, the hostile future Earth and occasional stretches of suspense. Some reviews also find promise in Jaden Smith’s performance, though that view is far from shared. The prevailing complaints concern predictable plotting, stilted dialogue and performances that struggle to make the relationship matter. The disagreement is chiefly over how much those scattered strengths count for. Empire appreciates the science-fiction concepts despite finding the characters weak, while several harsher reviews also fault the effects and production design. RogerEbert.com provides the clearest dissent, finding a thoughtful moral tale and praising the imagined ecosystem and convincing animals. The spread is wide, but the negative majority is decisive: most critics see the lessons about fear and growing up as laborious rather than moving. ### Reviews we read (23) - **RogerEbert.com**, Matt Zoller Seitz (70/100, inferred): The film is a lovely surprise and a special moral tale disguised as a sci-fi blockbuster, spectacular and wise despite not being a classic. It singles out the fully imagined ecosystem and real-feeling animals for praise amid the father-son survival story. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/after-earth-2013) - **Empire**, Kim Newman (60/100, inferred): The review finds the film visually striking with inventive sci-fi concepts about a hostile future Earth, but criticizes the clunky father-son drama, weak characters, and uninspired dialogue. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/earth-4-review/) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (55/100, inferred): By recent Shyamalan standards the film is surprisingly not horrible, though it lacks distinctive twists and feels like a hired-hand vehicle for the Smiths. Some visuals and tension-building are effective, but the simpleminded setup and overemoting undermine it. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2013/05/movie-review-after-earth-will-jaden-smith.html) - **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (2/5): The plodding plot is told in unimaginative broad strokes with stilted dialogue from Jaden Smith. It is a by-the-numbers survival story with contrived emotion, glittering sets and repetitive CGI peril. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ovlzyx/after-earth/) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (40/100, inferred): The father-son project is not as bad as feared, with Jaden Smith showing charisma and some nice visual design. However, Shyamalan's direction results in sluggish action and the film lacks ambition, becoming just another tedious jungle chase movie. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/after-earth) - **Screen Daily** (35/100, inferred): An intriguing but decidedly underwhelming mixture of genres that delivers a trite sci-fi adventure, probably too intense for younger viewers and not sophisticated enough for adults. Shyamalan shows some ability to build suspense in the second half but noble intentions are not enough to overcome the scattershot execution and limited performances. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/after-earth/5056905.article) - **Evening Standard** (30/100, inferred): The review calls the film a dull, expensive sci-fi epic overloaded with clichés and hampered by weak production design and CG effects, though it notes Jaden Smith's effort in the lead role. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/after-earth-film-review-8648738.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (30/100, inferred): The film crashes on take-off in a sci-fi action adventure about surviving a serious crash, leaving a scar on everyone involved. It singles out the lack of nuance in the screenplay and the one-generation-beyond-tinfoil special effects for complaint. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-may-30-la-et-mn-after-earth-review-20130531-story.html) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, THR Staff (30/100, inferred): The film is a disappointingly generic sci-fi survival tale that strands a father and son on Earth with little novelty or effective use of its resources and setting. Performances are hampered, with Jaden Smith’s anxious portrayal failing to convince and Will Smith sidelined in a passive role. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/earth-film-review-560053/) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (30/100, inferred): An allegory of the transition from helicopter parenting to free-range parenting that introduces futuristic paraphernalia to make its point but results in an action film that doesn’t move. It singles out Shyamalan’s impersonal, efficient, and clean direction—resulting in placid stolidity—for note. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/after-earth-will-smiths-parenting-movie) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (30/100, inferred): A father-son encounter session tricked out with science-fiction clichés and steeped in motivational uplift that kicks in slowly beat by predictable beat. It singles out the occasional unintended laugh and moments of visual beauty as minor alleviations in an uninteresting slog. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/movies/after-earth-starring-will-smith-and-jaden-smith.html) - **The Times**, Kate Muir (30/100, inferred): The material drags with obvious plotting; the performances are wooden and the film feels like another disaster from the director. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/science/article/after-earth-h3r62vqqpf0) - **Variety**, Scott Foundas (30/100, inferred): Shyamalan’s latest non-happening is a listless sci-fi wilderness adventure and grim hodgepodge that will prove a litmus test of Will Smith’s drawing power. It singles out the leaden pacing and the senior Smith’s one of the least substantive performances of his career for criticism. [Read](https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/after-earth-film-review-a-nasty-planet-1200489562/) - **Slant Magazine** (1/4): Shyamalan’s smug, self-conscious scripting and methodical direction drain all narrative tension from the father-son survival story. The film fixates on fear and duty in a way that reflects the director’s own conservative, unadventurous approach to filmmaking. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/after-earth/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (10/100, inferred): The critic finds the film another in a line of Shyamalan's terrible movies, marked by abysmal acting, directing and story that induces boredom. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jun/06/after-earth-review) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (C): The brisk, threadbare story avoids many modern blockbuster pitfalls and Shyamalan uses silence effectively in places, but the film is often boring with cartoonish CGI and ends in a generic monster brawl. It feels more like motivational coaching than compelling drama. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-after-earth-provides-father-son-counseling-within-generic-sci-fi-trappings-20130530/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (C-): The critic finds the film serviceable but forgettable, resting on the Smiths' performances amid sub-par effects and bland action that fails to thrill. Jaden Smith's lead turn stands out but is undercut by overly literal storytelling and a safe, unsurprising narrative about courage and leaving the nest. [Read](https://collider.com/after-earth-review/) - **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (2/5): The film is a soggy melodrama that fails to build dread or excitement despite its survival premise. It singles out the po-faced, un-cool performances and the shift into Disney-like territory as detracting from any potential tension. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a486327/after-earth-review-will-smith-jaden-smith-stranded-on-hostile-earth/) - **/Film**, Germain Lussier (4/10): A Will Smith movie without charisma and a Shyamalan film without a twist, it begins with a promising idea but ends up hollow and disjointed. The father-son relationship feels forced and the film lacks the expected swagger from its creators. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/526489/after-earth-review-m-night-shyamalan-and-will-smith-fail-to-develop-a-worthwhile-story/) - **HeyUGuys**, Steven Neish (2/5): The film fails as science fiction due to an incoherent futuristic universe and weak script and direction. It has occasional impressive set-pieces but is ultimately an ill-conceived star vehicle. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/after-earth-review/) - **Eye for Film**, David Graham (25/100, inferred): The vanity project is a weak sci-fi fantasy ruined by woeful dialogue, po-faced performances and ridiculous gimmickry despite some appealing visuals. It is not over-the-top enough to be enjoyably bad and Shyamalan's decline continues. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/reviews/after-earth-2013-review) - **Den of Geek**, Nick Allen (1/5): The film is a profoundly dull and boring disappointment that fails to deliver thrills or engaging characters. It singles out the lack of tension beyond the score and the weak, unlikable performances from the Smiths as major flaws. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/after-earth-review/) - **The Wrap** (20/100, inferred): The film is a dreary vanity project that fails as both sci-fi adventure and father-son drama, with Jaden Smith's inexperience and the clunky dialogue making it a slog. The critic singles out a few stirring action moments, such as a scene with a giant bird, but notes they cannot redeem the overall mess. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/after-earth-review-parents-just-dont-understand-94446/) ## Details - **Director:** M. Night Shyamalan - **Director:** M. Night Shyamalan - **Screenplay:** Gary Whitta, M. Night Shyamalan - **Story:** Will Smith - **Cinematography:** Peter Suschitzky - **Editor:** Steven Rosenblum - **Music:** James Newton Howard - **Production design:** Thomas E. Sanders - **Costume design:** Amy Westcott - **Producer:** James Lassiter, Will Smith, Caleeb Pinkett - **Cast:** Jaden Smith as Kitai Raige; Will Smith as Cypher Raige; Sophie Okonedo as Faia Raige; Zoë Kravitz as Senshi Raige; Glenn Morshower as Commander Velan; Kristofer Hivju as Security Chief; Sacha Dhawan as Hesper Pilot; Chris Geere as Hesper Navigator - **Runtime:** 1h 40m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 31 May 2013 - **Genres:** Science Fiction, Action, Adventure - **Budget:** $130 million - **Box office:** $244 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r9IXze_tPM ## Where to watch in the US - Tubi: free - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-16.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RS, SE, SG, TH, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Black Stallion* (1979): A boy’s survival story that trusts animals, landscape and silence to hold us. - *Walkabout* (1971), Fi1m 85: Young people in an unfamiliar wilderness, with far more curiosity about their surroundings. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/walkabout.md) - *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* (2016), Fi1m 82: A reluctant guardian and a runaway boy find trouble and affection in the bush. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.md) - *Prospect* (2018): A young traveller faces a hostile landscape where survival means judging adults carefully. - *Theeb* (2014): A boy crosses dangerous desert country in an adventure that makes uncertainty matter. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/after-earth