They took a detailed and complex story and squashed it into nothing more than a basic teen drama. It’s like making a BLT without the bacon or lettuce… or tomato. Review by Savannah Duncan.
Allow me to paint a picture, young Sav was scrolling through Netflix on a night she had nothing better to do, only to fall onto a film called ‘After’. A burst of excitement runs through her body as she frantically presses the play button. This was a Wattpad story she read back when she was just 14 years old.
She prayed for the day it would become a film and unfortunately that day has arrived. Be careful what you wish for.
I grew up reading this Wattpad story back when the characters were named after the One Direction boys and not the bootleg names we see today, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about.
The first ‘After’ film was the biggest disappointment I have ever had in my entire life. I mean it. Imagine dreaming for something almost your entire childhood, only for it to become true in every wrong way possible. That’s what that film was.
I thought they’d stop there but, oh boy, did they make another one. Sadly, the only good thing about it was that Dylan Sprouse was in it, but the film was so bad he won’t be appearing in any more of them.
Okay, that’s not entirely true, but he has stated he will not be filming for the other two films. Yes, they are making two more.
You know how usually the first film is the best in the franchise and then the sequels don’t quite manage to hit you as much as the initial instalment did?
Well, ‘After’ was bad from the start, so why did they make a sequel and why are they making two more after this sequel? I’m so frustrated I might just deactivate my Netflix account.
It follows the basic romance within a teen drama, a girl who falls for a boy and they have an on-again, off-again relationship… only this boy has alcohol and anger problems. She really knows how to pick them.
The one thing I loved about reading this book was the story and how relatable Tessa Young was when she spoke about her feelings for Hardin. Not to mention the dilemmas she faced when it came to her new friends, who were clearly bad influences, and her mother.
Many things happened within the story and the writers tore them all out, only to leave the film with the most basic plot known to man. To be honest it would have been far more successful as a series with 40 minute episodes. The original story is so complex it’s the only way it could have worked.
I read a comment that said: ‘that was the best worse movie I have ever watched’ and I couldn’t put it better myself.
There is nothing really good to say about this film. It’s just a basic teen movie. Do yourself a favour and buy the book instead, I promise you’re not missing out.
After We Collided is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
