After Earth Is Will Smith’s Love Letter to Scientology

vulture ^ | 5/30 | patches

[RummyChick]

Will Smith has never spoken openly of his connections to the Church of Scientology, but they are well documented. Whether or not Smith is a devout member or simply curious about this Hollywood faith, he has visible ties to the group. In 2007, he donated $122,500 to several Scientology rehabilitation organizations. Two years later, he and wife Jada Pinkett Smith opened California's New Village Leadership Academy, a private school founded on the teachings of Scientology creator L. Ron Hubbard. Yet to this day, when asked about his own involvement, Smith suggests close friend Tom Cruise introduced him to the practices of Scientology, but that he's not a member. He's simply a "student of world religion."

The clearest evidence of Smith's investment in Scientology might be his newest blockbuster film — this weekend’s After Earth. Based on a story by Smith (and a script by Gary Whitta and director M. Night Shyamalan), the film is a father-son adventure that teams the superstar with his wunderkind offspring Jaden. Together, they traverse the dangerous landscapes of a creature-ridden future Earth. Surprisingly, what's been advertised as an Avatar remix plays out more like Battlefield Earth, another film that hews to the tropes of a science-fiction epic — just like Hubbard's doctrines for Scientology. Here’s how the film parallels the faith’s teachings:

The Movie's Villain Is Emotion "Danger Is Real. Fear Is a Choice," reads the tagline on the After Earth posters. Its vast cosmology aside, at its core, Scientology is about setting doubts and conflict aside in order to value the self. That's the main hurdle for Jaden's character Kitai Raige, who finds himself failing to measure up to his commander father, Cypher. The film is set 1,000 years after humans have departed an ecologically devastated Earth. Mankind is asserting itself as an intergalactic military presence on the outskirts of the universe. There is only one problem: Their new planet, Nova Prime, hosts a vicious alien race that feeds on fear. Luckily they have Cypher — he's known as a "ghost," a human who can suppress his emotions and the accompanying pheromones that allow the aliens to sniff people out.

In Scientology terms, Cypher is a properly cleansed "thetan," the Church's version of a soul. He's calm and collected, empowered without having to demonstrate that power. As Cypher puts it in the film, "fear is imaginary," and if a person is able to see past that illusion, they can be maximally effective. Kitai is the opposite of his father. In Church terms, he is a misguided thetan — full of rage, haunted by memories, and terrified when out of his comfort zone. He has a desire to be a hero, but it’s not instinctual. His choices are guided by what he thinks are his father's demands. Hubbard's writing has indicated that Scientology's goal is to rehabilitate a thetan's control over MEST (matter, energy, space, and time). Kitai’s journey over the course of the film is that pursuit. He must regain control over the physical world through management of his fear.

Will "Audits" Jaden Over the Course of the Movie One of the most powerful moments in 2012's The Master is when Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) "processes" Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix). An interrogation meant to peel back the layers of the emotionally damaged sailor, it's a riff on Scientology's practice of auditing. The Church believes people are stricken by engrams, mental images akin to memories that cause pain and confusion. Members of Scientology are audited to rid themselves of these emotional blockades by talking through them while using an E-meter (a device that tracks electrical resistance) to measure precisely where the engrams live.

The bulk of After Earth is essentially that scene from The Master on a blockbuster scale. Following a crash landing on Earth, circumstances require Cypher to remain at a control panel while his son battles his way through the wild. Kitai can barely take a step outdoors without flashing back to a moment when he witnessed someone's death back home. Thankfully, Cypher is able to audit him from afar. Coached by his Dad, Kitai finds inner peace, the knowledge that he's stronger, faster, and more capable than anything Earth throws at him. Cypher even has a futuristic version of an E-meter at his disposal — Kitai's "Smart Fabric" suit delivers up-to-date health stats to his auditor. Heart rate is going up? Kitai must be lying or afraid or unable to cope with his pesky engrams.

Level Up After Earth is essentially a map of Scientological development. It's a man-vs.-nature story because Scientology suggests that all of life is just that. Before Kitai is set on his journey of personal discovery, he trains to be a Ranger (like his father) in the fashion of Scientology students. Smith's New Village Leadership Academy is said to employ the techniques of "Study Tech," a Hubbard concept that focuses on climbing the ladder. Kitai's biggest woe is that he can't reach the next level of military school. That's par for the course in Scientology, where learning is described as a gradient, "a gradual approach to something, taken step by step, so that, finally, quite complicated and difficult activities or concepts can be achieved with relative ease." It’s one of the parts of Scientology that many have focused on — the idea of having to pay for classes in order to advance upwards through the religion’s levels. Some critics have compared After Earth's structure as being like that of a video game, Kitai going from level to level. That's really Study Tech.

It's only when he reaches Earth and is audited by his father that the trainee looks inward and aligns himself with the priorities of Scientology. For the Church, life is subdivided into eight "urges of survival," known as dynamics. The first dynamic prioritizes survival of the individual over everything else. In the film, Kitai confronts harsh elements and outruns hoards of animals all to save his father, but he's only able to succeed because of self-actualization. Typically, a hero might pick up skills and adapt to an alien environment. Not in After Earth, where Kitai separates himself from everything he knows in life and invests in his potential invincibility. He quests on, trusting his own abilities even when there hasn't been an established reason to trust them.

Anti-Psychiatry Aliens? With After Earth's Scientology roots in mind, every element starts to ring familiar in the context of the religion. The threatening alien, turned murderous by the scent of emotion, is a literalization of the organization's hard stance against psychiatric medicine. From the very beginning, Hubbard was critical of psychiatry, calling it an evasive practice that sidelined spiritual thinking. In his paper "Crime and Psychiatry," he claims that psychiatrists "advertise man as a push-button stimulus-response robot" and use inhumane practices to elicit response. That's the role of After Earth's blind, carnivorous beast, who hungers for fear while simultaneously provoking it.

Without being too obvious, Smith has delivered an incredibly mainstream platform for the Church's ideology. After Earth’s subtext makes every beat feel like a nod to the lessons of L. Ron Hubbard. Fleeing Earth to another planet only to return to home mirrors the idea of thetan resurrection. The ship Cypher and Kitai take on their mission isn't that far off from the Douglas DC-8–esque ship that took Xenu's kidnapped souls to earth. And the prominently advertised volcano that functions as a backdrop to a large After Earth set piece? Just look at the cover to Hubbard's book that started it all —Dianetics.

[Impy]

Hmm, Karate is Japanese and Jackie Chan is Chinese. Should it not have been the Kung Fu kid?

As to Scientology, too bad it’s already been done, do you think there is room in the “spiritual marketplace” for another stupid cult to provide it’s founder with cash and sex with movie stars?

I figure it must be hip out in lala land to be Muslim since Muslims hate America so how about some kind of muzzie version of Kaballah?

Or some wicca crap with a “Goddess”, that’s very feminist.

Or since everyone claims to be “part Cherokee” how about some Indian BS with totem poles and rain dancing?

[NFHale]

On the radio this morning, I heard it bombed in the box office. $$$ was well below what they expected.

Usually, I like science fiction movies, but I didn’t have any desire to see this one.

Right now, with all that’s going on, fiction just doesn’t have any appeal.

What we’re currently going through on a national level WAS the stuff of fiction up until 2009.

[GOPsterinMA]

“What we’re currently going through on a national level WAS the stuff of fiction up until 2009.”

Ain’t that the truth!!!

[NFHale]

Fiction is distraction right now.

Focus, focus, focus...

[GOPsterinMA]

No doubt!

EVERYTHING is static. It’s all a smokescreen to take the eyes off the ball.

[dead]

The movie looks like yet another indulgent vanity project for his overhyped son.

Whenever a commercial comes on for the movies, my kids and I all yell, "Will Smith's kid... in the future!!"

[BillyBoy]

>> Usually, I like science fiction movies, but I didn’t have any desire to see this one. <<

I'm just tired of Will Smith putting his kid in all these big budget Hollywood movies. It's gotten old very quickly. Let the kid succeed on his own merits and STOP propping him up with your name, Will.

Last film I saw in the theater was Star Trek Into Darkness... which is a bit like having dinner and expecting to be served meat and potatoes but you get a plate of Twinkies. It was enjoyable but it had absolutely no depth or substance. It was also much more of an action film than a sci-fi film (ironic considering the general public sees Star Trek as a geek centered overly philosophical and hi-tech techno-babble world, when this film was specifically made to appeal to Joe Six Pack)

One thing I have zero desire to see is most of the superhero films coming out lately... Superman grows up in Smallville, discovers his identity, and fights Kryptonian criminal General Zod? C'mon Hollywood, you're not even making the MINIMUM effort anymore... I get that you want to cash in on well known franchises, but would it kill you to come up with NEW plots and villains for a change? There must be two dozen major villains he fought in the comics. It is really THAT hard after 30 years to give us a different challenge for Superman to face? For the life of me, I can't understand how anyone can get excited by these pointless rehashes. I won't be seeing any new superhero movies until X-Men: Days of Future Past next year.

As for me, the next time I'll probably see something in the big screen is Dec. when Ender's Game and part II of The Hobbit is released (and I really liked Part I of The Hobbit but there's way too much filler and Peter Jackson could have made these movies 90 mins. instead of 3 hours... and the fanboys were totally wrong when they said there would be nothing in the movie that wasn't "from Tolkien's own hand") The gaystapo are actually boycotting Ender's Game because Orson Scott Card doesn't agree with them about gay marriage. The movie is based on a classic award-winning 1985 sci-fi novel I've never read. Looks good.

[GOPsterinMA]

I’m sick of Will Smith and his wife. Throw their kid in as collateral damage too - I won’t watch him either.

Star Trek Into Darkness: “... film was specifically made to appeal to Joe Six Pack”. Perfectly stated. That’s what Abrams has done with his ST reboot.

New Superman: GREAT synopsis! I was on the fence about seeing this at the movies and probably won’t now. Enough with Zod.

Also, World War Z is getting bad reviews; looks like I’ll pass on that one too. I’m zombied-out from The Walking Dead.

[NFHale]

“..One thing I have zero desire to see is most of the superhero films coming out lately....”

I did enjoy both Iron Man movies, and the later version of the Incredible Hulk. But I didn’t go to theaters to see them. Waited till they came out on DVD and watched them at home.

I just can’t see spending the $$$ in theaters to be crowded and cramped together with people who won’t shut the hell up, messing with their cell phones, won’t quiet their kids down, etc., etc. More aggravating than enjoyable.

I think the last movie I saw in the theater was the last Lord of the Rings trilogy - Return of the King.

Yeah, it’s been that long.

[GOPsterinMA]

“...messing with their cell phones...”

Yep, that REALLY bothers me when I go. WTF, people can’t stop playing with their phones for 2 hours? REALLY???

[BillyBoy]

>> Hmm, Karate is Japanese and Jackie Chan is Chinese. Should it not have been the Kung Fu kid? <<

I believe they did call it that overseas, since Jackie Chan is playing a Chinese character and teaches him Kung Fu in the movie. Reusing the title of the 1984 film was for marketing purposes in the US. The funny thing is they vastly changed the characters/locations for the remake, but stuck very close to the original story. If you watch the '84 and 2010 Karate Kid back to back, you'll know what is going to happen a mile away.

>> World War Z is getting bad reviews; looks like I’ll pass on that one too. I’m zombied-out from The Walking Dead. <<

Shhhh! Don't point out the entertainment industry has jumped the shark by beating zombies to death. The zombie fan boys on FR will see your post and flame you to death. (happened to me several weeks ago). World War Z does really sound like a bad idea for a movie (ironically, Max Brooks, the author of it and son of Mel Brooks, wrote an earlier zombie book called "The Zombie Survival Guide" which is hilarious because its so tongue and cheek and 'serious', but you can't turn survival guides into movies). I will say this: at least the makers of World War Z can tell what new twist is part of their product (apparently the movie goes into what was the origin of the zombie outbreak). Ask the Walking Dead fanboys what's so great about watching zombies eat people every week on their show, and you get "it's violent!" Oh yeah, sounds really exciting. Not.

>> I did enjoy both Iron Man movies, and the later version of the Incredible Hulk. But I didn’t go to theaters to see them. Waited till they came out on DVD and watched them at home. <<

Ditto, but Iron Man 1 & 2 and The Incredible Hulk were 3-4 years ago. Their followups were Iron Man 3 (which I haven't seen but everyone who saw it theaters tells me they hate it and not to bother), and The Avengers, where they replaced Edward Norton with some little known B-actor named Mark Ruffalo. The hype was "it was the best version of the Hulk yet!!" but when I saw the film, they actually de-evolved the character back to the ridiculous "bright green giant video game monster" they had in the 2003 movie, rather than the 2008 film that actually gave Hulk some dignity and Bruce Banner some depth. What's the point of "Rebooting" the Hulk in 2008 if you're not going to stick with it? The Avengers worked as a brainless popcorn movie with some fun one liners, but that's about it.

I haven't bothered with any of the newest Superhero movies... The Dark Knight Returns, more of "realistic" throat cancer Batman played by Christian Bale. No thanks, worn out his welcome with the second film. The (not-so) Amazing Spider-Man... a pointless remake of Spider-Man 1. I don't need to see Uncle Ben die again, Hollywood. Man of Steel, same problem. They're getting lazier and lazier but they still make oodles of money. I wouldn't be surprised if they make a new Godfather movie ("The Godfather Rising") that has the EXACT same plot and characters as Godfather II, but cast a Hispanic female as Don Corleone so they can claim its "fresh and new". Giving the current trends, a bunch of idiots would fork over money to see it and the film would gross $400 million, and they'd announce "The Godfather Rising 2" while it was still in theaters)

[GOPsterinMA]

Speaking of the new adventures of the Corleone gang, they made Fredo ac/dc in the new books, so your theory of using current trends is spot on.

The Walking Dead: IMHO, that gang is doing things 1,000% wrong - they should have armed up, found a boat and made it to a habitable island. I do think the acting on the show is very good and I do like how they kill off major characters, sometimes very unexpectedly.

Christian Bale’s Batman: Entertaining, but not great. I cannot see what about “The Dark Knight” that makes it a “masterpiece”. Just don’t see it. I thought “The Dark Knight Rises” was better. Highlights in those films for me are when Michael Caine or Morgan Freeman are shown. Christian Bale’s best work was “American Psycho”.

Hollywood’s laziness: I came across yet another retro TV channel last week, “Cozi”. Might as watch the real stuff instead of the regurgitated, PC drivel they currently serve up.

Iron Man: I saw the first one (at home), it was entertaining. Haven’t bothered with either part 2 or 3. Couldn’t care less about any of the other comic book adaptations. I do like Robert Downey Jr., though; I think his best work was in “Chaplin”.

Behind the Candelabra: I watched about 5 minutes of this fag fest...WOW!!! I suspect gay porn can’t be any gayer. How the Hell DIDN’T people know Liberace was queerer than queer? REALLY??? Matt Damon better get tested for HPV.

[NFHale]

“...The Walking Dead: IMHO, that gang is doing things 1,000% wrong - ...”

Well...it’s Hollywood script writers writing the story, not survivalists, after all.

“...I do think the acting on the show is very good and I do like how they kill off major characters, sometimes very unexpectedly...”

Killing off major characters, like this show does, is something that draws people back,keeping them wondering “who is next?”

Having read the first two compendiums (episodes 1 through 96) of the “graphic novel” (read that: A black and white comic book), I can tell you that they deviated a lot from the storyline in some places and in others not so much.

For instance, Darryl and Merle weren’t in the books. They were “redneck add-ins” to create a stereotype, and Darryl.

Dale lost his leg in the book, not Herschel.

Andrea had a much larger role as a second in command and enforcer, and she was a marksman with a rifle.

And there are queer “couples” in the books too - so your current trend comment is spot-on. They try to work this pervert crap in wherever they can. Carol wanted to be Rick and Laurie’s “extended family” at one point, so to speak.

There’s other “major” characters that come and go too.

Don’t know what the next season holds, but it should be interesting.

It’s one of the only shows I watch. That and Top Shot (and the spin-off Top Guns). Mythbusters, Deadliest Catch, Pawn Stars, American Pickers... I like those too.

The current “North America” series is really well done too.

[GOPsterinMA]

“Don’t know what the next season holds, but it should be interesting.”

Yes!

I watch: Sunny in Philly, The League, Sons of Anarchy, Wheelers Dealers and The Walking Dead. I sprinkle in a couple shows on the DIY and HGTV channels too (mostly ‘Rehab Addict’ and ‘I Hate My Kitchen’).

[Rebelbase]

I watched it online last night, it’s a Class A stinker.

[campaignPete R-CT]

a dreamy day, full of sunshine
a breeze encouraging me to play hookie from life

doorbells to ring, “vote for the conservative local-yocal”
“yes,” they say, “we’ve had enough!”

and then they get back to their TV show.
A lone rebel, strolling through your neighborhood.

[GOPsterinMA]

Beautiful Pete, beautiful...

[BillyBoy]

>> The Walking Dead: IMHO, that gang is doing things 1,000% wrong <<

That's how I feel about the creative team behind the new Superman movie. Every time I hear something new about Man of Steel, it sounds worse. I just shake my head in amazement people are excited about the movie. The makers of the film are completely tone deaf and going 180o degrees in the wrong direction. It's seems like this their staff meetings went like this:

Hollywood suits: Okay, moviegoers, we want to fix the Superman franchise, so tell us what you liked and didn't like about Superman Returns.

Audiences: Well, Brandon Routh was good and a worthy successor to Christopher Reeve, and using the original John Williams score was epic, but the movie was too long, the plot and villain were a lame pointless rehash from the first two films, and the movie took itself too seriously and made Superman all emo and depressing, draining all the fun out the film.

Hollywood suits: Excellent points! Okay, here's our awesome plan to revitalize the Superman franchise: We're dumping Routh and replacing him with some British guy, we're ditching the iconic John Williams score, we're making this film even longer, we're going to reuse the EXACT same plot from Superman I & and the EXACT same villain from Superman II, and we're gonna make Superman even MORE serious and brooding!

[GOPsterinMA]

Well said, BB!

[caww]

She has her moms eyes...for sure.