Did I miss something? Was there a contest going through all the Grade Schools of America to find the best story for acclaimed director Bret Ratner to bring to the silver screen? If so, why wasn't there a calendar made for those who didn't make the final cut? Oh, wait, apparently children did not write this film, but instead a guy that wrote for the TELEVISION SERIES the Weakest Link. That surely makes him ready by all means to tackle the caper genre and inherit a big payday … right? You are the weakest link … good-bye. This movie was a disaster from the beginning. With cardboard acting, an aging (and girth growing) sex symbol, and a corny ending that incorporated nothing that we were shown through the entire film, it is a big wonder how After the Sunset ever saw the illustrious "green-light". Perhaps it was the size of Salma's boo … name, or perhaps the fact that Pierce Brosnan's The Thomas Crown Affair was such a cult film, or maybe because Don Cheadle was in it, because it had really no pull with just Woody headlining. So, how did this film get made? This film targeted pre-teen boys and retirement communities, and with their great pull, the financing behind this film became very easy.<br /><br />This was a caper film right? We are supposed to go on this roller coaster ride of who's conning whom, coupled with lies, deceit, and a surprise ending that will make you want to re-watch from the beginning to experience anything that you missed. That is the focus, goal, and overall tone that a film like this should have followed. Instead, Ratner decided to just make a movie without any sort of excitement or drive. As I watched this film, I never once felt excited about the plot. Why? Because there was nobody getting me excited. The acting in this film was well below par for anything that Hollywood has released. Pierce tries, but just can't seem to capture the essence of the film. There is no little demon inside you rooting for anything. Salma's role was basically for eye-candy. She provided nothing spectacular either. I can literally say the same for Woody and Cheadle as well. Here we have strong actors doing absolutely nothing during the course of about two hours. These characters never drive the plot, they bring nothing but clichés to the table, and by the end we really don't have any true grasp as to whom they are. Honestly, cardboard cutouts could have replaced the actual actors and After the Sunset would have been a better film. There was no depth to the characters, no emotion, no structure, just the simple direction of "step here, say your line, step here, look surprised". It was embarrassing for all that were involved.<br /><br />I think a major flaw to this film was that Ratner did not fully understand, or was prepared, for the caper genre. From the opening moments until the end of the film, you can tell that Ratner is just trying to use his friends in the industry and show the world that he has some power as well. I say this because I saw no true direction or moment of impressiveness where he defines himself as a director. He reuses the same ideas throughout the entire film, he doesn't give anything strong to his players, and nothing stood out in this movie. Sure, it was a beautiful location, but am I to believe that Salma spend a majority of the film building a deck for them to sit on? Am I to believe that Pierce is still a sex symbol even with a HUGE gut sticking out? Am I to believe that Cheadle is a bad guy/imported American who is at the top of the community? Finally, am I to believe that Pierce could still move as quickly as Ratner defined? I swear that in the final unclimactic moments of this film, I could hear Pierce doing some heavy breathing to get from point A to point B. Maybe he isn't ready for the next Bond role.<br /><br />So, without a good story, or decent characters, maybe there was some humor in it that could pull us away from the sour sensation cultivating in your mouth. Well, guess who is placed in to do the humor element? Woody Harrelson. Now, I don't mind Woody, but in this role, he just wasn't believable and his humor was so cliché that I had trouble believing that he brought anything to this character. He literally plagiarized his entire role. Teachers, and film viewers of the world, should be very upset with him. Instead of bringing a new twist to his character, he resorted to weird sex humor, skimpy bully humor, and that ever-popular drunken humor while fishing that is sure to make that senile woman in the front burst out with laughter. To me it was pathetic and a worthless attempt to make a joke out of already dead film.<br /><br />Overall, this was a massive disappointment. Here you had a decent director, some strong players, but the worst story ever written by a man who wrote for a game show. Which piece does not fit? There was this huge sense of apathy throughout this entire film and clichés riddled it that I just couldn't get past. Brosnan had trouble with this film, and I couldn't tell if it was because he just didn't care, or because he was working with such low-talent that his heart just wasn't in it. The ending hurt as well. There was no excitement or intensity, just plain … "here it is … like it or not". I personally couldn't digest this film with its poor acting and below-par story. This may be a good film for some that are not familiar with the caper genre, but for me it was just hogwash.<br /><br />Grade: * out of *****