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Will Smith is one of the most exceptional actors in Hollywood. Period. Whether it’s making us cry inThe Pursuit of Happynessor having us doubled over with laughter inBad Boys,the man knows exactly how to pull off any character and script thrown his way. Of course, there’s always going to be exceptions and the 2013 film with his son is one of them.
In 2013, Will Smith and Jaden Smith starred in the post-apocalyptical film,After Earthwhere ‘Danger is Real’ and ‘Fear is a Choice.’ However, the only “danger” we saw was the brutal reviews from critics that put Jaden Smith’s career on the line. So, while Will Smith can say thatWild Wild Westmay be a thorn in his side, it is reallyAfter Earththat might be his worst yet.
What Happened to Will Smith’sAfter Earth?
Will Smithsure has a bucketload of blockbuster hits under his name but he is quite aware of where he went wrong. For starters, Smith appeared in an interview forGQmagazine where he talked about the best and worst of his career.
He openly admitted that the steampunk-flavored flop,Wild Wild Westwas the one project he regrets the most. In his own words,“Wild Wild West is just a thorn in my side [laughs]. To see myself with chaps…I don’t like it.”Well, at least he can laugh at his misery.
Now, we beg him to reconsider his answer because dear readers, we really need to talk aboutAfter Earth. Sure,Wild Wild Westwasn’t a good decision on his part but that doesn’t mean that it was the worst. That spot is occupied with the film he did with his son,Jaden Smith.
Jaden Smith Struggled in 1 Intense Scene in His Movie Because of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
In the film, the father-son duo crash-land on an abandoned Earth, and thus begins the story of their survival and the return to Nova Prime. The film has a score of 12% onRotten Tomatoesand the critical consensus brutally calls it out saying,
After Earth is a dull, ploddingly paced exercise in sentimental sci-fi — and the latest setback for director M. Night Shyamalan’s once-promising career.
They definitely don’t hold back, huh?
After Earthcertainly tried to be an emotional father-son bonding story with a side of sci-fi adrenaline. Unfortunately, all the film ended up becoming was a two-hour-long lecture gone wrong. Despite the big names involved in it, including that ofM. Night Shyamalanwho probably wishes to erase the title from his résumé,After Earthwas a definite failure.
Not only was it a critical flop, but it also bombed at thebox officemaking $251 million worldwide on a budget of a whopping $130 million.
WhileWild Wild Westcan be a guilty pleasureAfter Earthis the cinematic equivalent of a root canal – joyless and painful. All in all, the post-apocalyptic adventure made the audience want to eject from the theatres and leave in their escape pods.
Will Smith Regretted Jaden Smith’s Involvement inAfter Earth
Smith was one of the producers for the film with his production company ‘Overbrook Entertainment’ also lending a hand. And while he callsWild Wild Westa thorn in his side, he agrees that it was still better thanAfter Earthcause’ he didn’t drag his son into it.
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In an interview withEsquire, the actor expressed his regrets about leading Jaden Smith into the film. Calling it the“most painful failure”of his career, he said,
‘Wild Wild West’ was less painful than ‘After Earth’ because my son was involved in ‘After Earth,’ and I led him into it. That was excruciating.
In his memoir titled,Will,Smith talked about how the film’s reception affected his son’s life. He recalled the things that were being written and spoken about Jaden Smith. They were so horrid that he refused to mention them in the memoir.
The worst part? Smith believes that it was all his doing. He said (viaPEOPLE),
They said and printed things about Jaden that I refuse to repeat. Jaden had faithfully done everything that I’d instructed him to do, and I had coached him into the worst public mauling he’d ever experienced.
The film sure did a number on the young actor’s career in the film industry as people started pointing fingers and raising questions about his skills. At one point, the then-15-year-old evenasked to be emancipatedafter losing trust in his father’s leadership. Luckily, he decided against the idea.
After Earthis available to watch on Max andWild Wild Weston Roku.
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2257
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you can find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
