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The After

The After

TV movie201455 minMidcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Director
Chris Carter
Starring
Aldis Hodge, Andrew Howard, Arielle Kebbel, Jamie Kennedy

Eight strangers are thrown together by mysterious forces and must help each other survive in a violent world that defies explanation.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The After?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list The After on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The After?

The After earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Hopeful.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The After worth watching?

The After's Midcredits score is the 86th percentile of all films, from 8.9K ratings across 4 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

86th percentile

Better received than 86% of films

88th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)90th

69 /100

78th percentile of all films

81st percentile among Drama77th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2010s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

71st percentile

8.9K ratings across platforms

74th percentile among Drama74th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 43% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the pilot has an intriguing premise and strong potential, but fans see it as promising while detractors feel the execution fails to deliver.

Fans praised

  • intriguing mystery and tension that keeps you hooked
  • chris carter's signature unpredictable storytelling
  • diverse cast with chemistry and likable characters

Detractors panned

  • lazy writing with plot holes and illogical character decisions
  • cliched stereotype characters (drunk Irish, gay clown, rich old lady)
  • gratuitous nudity and excessive cursing

What stands out

TensionDivisive65

fans praise edge-of-seat suspense and mystery, detractors find it forced and unbelievable

AtmosphereDivisive60

gripping sense of confusion and dread praised, but some see it as incoherent panic

ActingDivisive45

mixed reactions; some call cast solid but unpolished, others call performances wooden and clichéd

PacingDivisive45

fans find it riveting and fast-paced, detractors say it drags and lurches

Plot and storyDivisive40

intriguing mystery but riddled with logical holes and clichéd scenarios

OriginalityDivisive40

seen as derivative of Lost and X-Files with some unique supernatural twists

CharactersDivisive35

fans find the diverse group interesting and invested, detractors see cardboard stereotypes

DialogueDivisive30

criticized as formulaic, contrived, and over-reliant on profanity

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men even
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is The After like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Bleak · 8% of filmsTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its post-apocalyptic survival story with gravity, playing it straight without irony.
The rideSurvival tension dominates, with melancholic reflection on the lost world and hopeful notes from the group's solidarity.
StructureThe story follows a conventional arc: setup (trapped in a building), escape, and survival against external threats.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers with a sense of solidarity and cautious hope despite the devastation.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEight strangers escape a building only to find civilization collapsed, then must survive against criminals and strange forces in a hostile world.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Hope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film's central struggle is physical survival in a post-catastrophe world, but trust and hope are essential for the group to endure.
StanceThe film celebrates human resilience and the will to survive together despite societal collapse.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanWildernessRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · John Debney
SettingA building in an unnamed city, then a post-apocalyptic wasteland
MusicJohn Debney provides a dramatic orchestral score underscoring the survival tension.

Content guide

Is The After okay for kids?

As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at mild (25/100) and language at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Mild · 3 of 5 categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (6 votes across 3 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The After have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The After?

Cast

Aldis Hodge
as D. Love
Andrew Howard
as McCormick
Arielle Kebbel
as Tammy
Jamie Kennedy
as David
Sharon Lawrence
as Francis
Sam Littlefield
as Dark Shadow
Louise Monot
as Gigi Generau
Jaina Lee Ortiz
as Marly
Adrian Pasdar
as Wade
Jason Lewis
as Gigi's Husband

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The After?

Movies like The After include The Survivalist (2015), Hell (2011) and Reign of Fire (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, most are sci-fi films, and all are survival thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its world: post-apocalyptic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The After?

547 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: post apocalyptic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.