Why did the third installment of the After series face such harsh critical backlash?
In short: The 2021 romantic drama After We Fell struggled to win over critics, earning a rare zero percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite its commercial performance in international markets, reviewers panned the film as a slow, lackluster continuation of the franchise that lacked the entertainment value of its predecessors.
Directed by Castille Landon and based on the 2014 novel by Anna Todd, After We Fell serves as the third entry in the After film series. The plot centers on the volatile relationship between Tessa Young and Hardin Scott, played by Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin. As the couple navigates Tessa's career aspirations in Seattle and the resurfacing of family secrets, their bond is tested by jealousy, past trauma, and the revelation that Christian Vance is actually Hardin's biological father.
Production of the film was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming took place back-to-back with its sequel, After Ever Happy, in Sofia, Bulgaria, beginning in September 2020. Due to travel restrictions and scheduling conflicts, several supporting roles had to be recast, including characters like Kimberley and Christian Vance. This logistical complexity occurred alongside the film's release strategy, which saw it debut in European theaters in September 2021 before arriving on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime in various regions.
Critical reception was overwhelmingly negative. Reviewers frequently described the film as a tedious filler episode, criticizing its pacing, screenplay, and acting quality. While the film managed to gross $21.6 million worldwide, it struggled to maintain the momentum of the previous installment, After We Collided. Critics noted that the melodrama felt meaningless, and the reliance on repetitive outbursts and predictable tropes failed to engage audiences beyond the core fanbase of the series.
The franchise continued despite these critiques, with the fourth film, After Ever Happy, released in 2022. A fifth installment, After Everything, was later announced as the series finale. Notably, the final film distinguishes itself from the rest of the series by being the only entry not based on a book by Anna Todd.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: After We Fell
- Also: Wikidata — After We Fell · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — After We Fell · CC0
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