Will Smith is no stranger to science fiction movies (I Am Legend, I, Robot), nor is he a stranger to action movies (Independence Day, Men in Black 1, 2 and 3). After Earth is a unique combination of action and science fiction and a necessary addition to any Will Smith films list. Couple this with the directorial vision of M. Night Shyamalan and there is little doubt this movie will surprise the viewer. Bringing in Jaden Smith (Will’s son) to play the son of his character, Smith hurries his son both on screen and off into a world he may not understand.

The inclusion of After Earth to the Will Smith films list polishes up the mantel so to speak and keeps Smith a relevant name in celebrity. The story was devised on an idea Smith had after watching a documentary about a man stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash. Smith proposed this idea to Shyamalan and co-writer Gary Whitta with the suggestion of putting it on an earth no one had ever seen before. As After Earth came to fruition, the earth they developed became a much more hostile place evolved to destroy any human who returned after leaving 1,000 years before.

A Will Smith films list would not be complete without chronicling the necessity of father/son drama. Much like in Pursuit of Happyness, Will’s character plays mentor to his son, albeit in a much harsher fashion than in the previous movie. Jaden’s character is forced to fight through the ruthless wilderness of earth to find a rescue beacon to save their lives and to live up to his father’s expectations. More than the beast seeking to destroy him through fear, Jaden's character has to live through the fear that his father might not accept him totally.

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