This is a coming of age story with a science fiction backdrop. I found this movie well-acted, of high production value and a great story based on the character interplay of father and son. I'm sure that people who are focused on the sci-fi nature of the film may have found plot holes, but all that is secondary to the message of the film. The message is that "danger is real, but fear is a choice". If you want to watch a movie as a family and be entertained, then this is a wonderful choice. Will Smith put in a solid performance, and Jaden Smith exceeded my expectations. For the first 5 minutes of the movie, I was quite certain that Jaden wouldn't be able to arise to such an important role. I guess I formed that opinion from reviews of his other work where people trashed him, but after 10 minutes, as I understood the character that he played, it was obvious that he was able to fill up the screen with his interpretation. I will be sure to finally watch Karate Kid now just to see how much he has grown in the three years between movies.
Review of After Earth
