Wow, I rented this film expecting a good movie. I liked Men in Black, i Robot, Hancock, and I am Legend. Sure, sure, nothing life-changing or awe-inspiring, but still very good entertainment. Remember when his dog died in I am Legend, only to "return" as a zombie and Will had to put his best buddy down? I can watch that movie again and still finish it.

This movie was a pile of bull feces. Nowhere near the trailer made it out to be. I couldn't get the father character. Is he a hard-ass military man? I dunno, he keeps shifting between "son" and "cadet" all the time. I sense some emotional turmoil in the son, but the actor can't just pull it off. He is supposed to be a star pupil but lacking in the field; he hasn't displayed any evidence of "using his brains" at all. His stance when trying to use whatever that weapon is supposed to be doesn't even show any technique at all -- Jackie Chan could've done a better job in his sleep! Or Chris Tucker after 2 minutes with Jackie.

Some scenes don't make sense at all. The son defies his father and jumps off a cliff... and then wingsuits along the cliff face and not outwards towards his destination? A flashback of a young child handling a weapon and giving it to his fater? Sure, let's let kids play with knives. He's out of inhalers and can barely walk, but decides to climb a tree to get a better view? Yes, because climbing trees is less stressful than walking.

Oh, and he got stuck out in the open.... and is saved by a giant bird. How the hell did this make any sense? The bird gave its life for a weird looking animal it has never seen before? I thought all animals on the planet have learned to kill humans?

Then the idea of him being in a "black spot" and can't receive his dad's transmissions, but his dad can hear him. I LOL'ed at the part wherein he looked like he was trying to get a signal. Like cellphones back in the early 90s!

What's with "taking a knee"? Don't they know how to "calm down and sit down"?

Will Smith is a much better actor without having to get his son into it.

I've never liked anything associated with Will Smith. Has nothing to do with his personal views or values, I find him insufferably boring, his movies are in my opinion overrated. His films offend me with how boring they are. I think he tried his best with Ali, but he didn't remind me of Ali. That was a mediocre film as well.

I want to see Will Smith play with his image, take a chance with dirtier roles, play the villain. He's not a really talented actor or not what you would call an actor's actor.

If you want to have a good laugh...

Thanks Ice,you saved me a wasted evening.I kinda guessed that this was going to suck donkey balls.

Darn, was just going to post that!

But seriously, that was the first thing I thought of after I saw the thread title...

I enjoy the Wil Smith saves the world movies.
This one was just like the horrible Karate Kid remake. Seems like he's getting his son a career in the movies whether we like him or not. And the kid just comes across as very obnoxious. Might be a good kid, but he needs to pay his dues in more small roles rather than his dad getting him big budget movies.

God, there was nothing remotely exciting about this movie even from the trailer. The only good movie I liked from him was Enemy of the State

^^^ Spot on. Saw them together on the Graham Norton show.

BTW, the movie had a terrible review in the WSJ.

WC

I lost on Jeopardy once because I couldn't bring myself to answer a question honestly about a top actor named Will Smith.


The only way I would conceivably like a Will Smith film is if they replaced Will Smith with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

wow... That looks horrid. I'm surprised that Lawrence Fishburne didn't get cast for that

Kontakt, Will Smith may not be a fancy dinner at a 5-star joint, but I think he is okay. Like I said, nothing life-changing or awe-inspiring, but still good entertainment provided you come in with the right mindset. The trailer was a blatant lie.

Have you watched I am Legend? For a film that is mostly just Will and his dog, plus a lot of CGI, it is very good! Not an actor's actor, but the film just might have you at the edge of your seat and Will Smith does do a good job in it.

komemiute, excellent trailer there and echoes my points exactly! And it was better entertainment than the movie!

RK, I would've thought Karate Kid was just above passable, but then again I am considering the intended audience. I had also hoped that since some good time has passed between Karate Kid and After Earth, that Jayden would've learned to act. No dice.

I actually paused the movie about 5x to do something else as it was very boring. I did finish it though to be able to properly assess it, but it never did redeem itself.

I love I Am Legend. Even though it's a HUGE departure from the book, that doesn't take away from it as a great flick.

He was pretty good in 6 Degrees of Separation. The movie wasn't so hot, but he did a good job with what he had. Considering he had just come out of his Fresh Prince days, I was impressed..... Certainly much better than expected.

He's still better than Jamie Foxx who did Ray Charles.

That's not the standard I measure him against- I can go watch raunchy, dirty screwball comedies and have a good time. I can watch Schwarzenegger and check my brain at the door.

Will Smith is either a dull actor to watch, or he tends to get involved in dull films. This is my own taste, I'm not suggesting you feel that way. I will say objectively, however, he's not very versatile. He's apparently not able or willing to take any roles other than lead protagonists, just very clean cut and one dimensional in his motivations.

I consider Kevin Spacey one of the finest actors alive- I'm not going to compare many actors against that, but at least other actors have taken chances and attempt to break out- they may try not to get typecast.

Will Smith doesn't make much sense to me in that I can't figure out why he broke out, in other words, I can't figure out what really separates him from the pack, what makes him more desirable from all the other hopeful actors who never really make it big. He's really very average at best, so I can't figure out what his technique is. Can anyone explain to me what's so special about Will Smith?

This is what happens when you are someone like Will Smith and Jada Pinkett and you have the power to get your son a role in an A movie.

His son needs to start from the bottom like everyone else and EARN his way up!

He needs to go to acting school first.

Many of the actor and actresses, even the newest young ones, have attended some kind of acting school.

Far worse than Will have made it..Channing Tatum is one of the most horrid one dimensional actors i have seen on screen in a lead role,yet he is making it.

I like Will in most movies he does, he just has whatever it is as a leading man to pull off well the roles he has played He is no better and no worse than someone like Bruce Willis imo. Part of it would have to be his Prince of Bel Air show, a whole generation grew up with him so he was well known and well liked before hitting the big screen

I would shell out to a movie with Will over someone like Johnny Depp, and people seem to go nuts over his films..i don't get it.

Opinions

Depp hasn't put out a good movie since Finding Neverland. His association with Timm Burton and Disney has gone on long enough. I really enjoyed him in Don Juan DiMarco, Fear and Loathing, Benny and June, Gilbert Grape and a few others. Now it seems he's just in it for the cash. Hard for me to respect that and his actor's status has diminished quite a lot with me.

I hate Depp.

The only good role he ever had was in A Nightmare On Elm Street (the original 1984 first entry of the series).

His acting in it was to die for and it deserved an Oscar.

Pretty much sums up how I feel about Ben Affleck. He annoys the living crap out of me with that stupid grin he has on his face all the time and almost zero talent. Aaarrrgghhhhhh