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What's After the Movie?
Documentary

After Death (2023): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

After Death (2023) movie poster

After Death is a 2023 documentary directed by Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke, starring Drew Neal Horton as Chuck, John Burke and Koko Marshall. It runs 1 hour 43 minutes and earned $11.8 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. Critics gave it 47% on Rotten Tomatoes and 28 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10.

IMDb rating
6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
47%
worldwide gross
$11.8M
Echo Score
63
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After Death (2023) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 43m (103 min)
Directors
Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke
Genre
Documentary
Original language
English
Budget
$40M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is After Death About?

The premise of After Death without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Exploring the realm beyond mortality, this documentary investigates the mysteries of the afterlife. Through the perspectives of medical professionals, scientists, and authors, it examines near-death experiences and personal accounts of those who have glimpsed the unknown. The film encourages viewers to reflect on life, death, and what may lie beyond.

After Death Themes & Keywords

· 2 tags
  • death in title
  • evangelical
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Cast & crew

After Death Cast & Characters

Drew Neal Horton leads the cast as Chuck, with John Burke and Koko Marshall as Beverly. Directed by Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke; 20 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in After Death

· 16 more
Ratings

After Death Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave After Death 47% on Rotten Tomatoes and 28 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 63/100, strongest in rewatch factor (70) and weakest in story & flow (45).

63 /100

After Death Echo Score Breakdown

After Death presents a fervent exploration of near‑death experiences, combining personal testimonies with scientific commentary. The documentary’s visual treatment draws both admiration for its striking reenactments and criticism for uneven editing and overt religious framing. While many viewers find the subject matter compelling and returnable, the film’s narrative cohesion suffers, leading to a mixed reception. Consequently, the film lands in the moderate range on the Echo Score scale.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 60

    In terms of direction and production design, the film oscillates between striking visual reenactments and uneven technical execution. Critics note the ambitious, abstract depictions of celestial imagery, while some viewers praise the vivid cinematography. However, several reviewers point to confusing editing and a lack of cohesive visual storytelling, resulting in a middling assessment of the documentary’s craft.

  • Character & Emotion 65

    When evaluating character depth and emotional resonance, the documentary leans heavily on personal testimonies that many find moving. Viewers describe the accounts as compelling and spiritually engaging, and some critics acknowledge the unsettling impact of reenacted experiences. Yet, criticism arises from the perceived bias toward a singular religious viewpoint, which dampens the overall emotional credibility.

  • Story & Flow 45

    Regarding plot coherence and pacing, the film struggles to maintain a clear narrative arc. Critics label it a repetitive slog with a lackluster assembly of interviews, while users note moments of confusion over speaker attribution and disjointed sequencing. The documentary’s heavy focus on theological argument over storytelling further weakens its overall flow.

  • Sensory Experience 60

    In terms of sensory experience, the documentary’s soundtrack and visual style draw mixed reactions. Some audiences applaud the solemn music and dramatic lighting that underscore the subject’s gravity, while others find the audio‑visual choices overly melodramatic and insufficiently supportive of the narrative. The visual effects are praised for their ambition but criticized for inconsistency.

  • Rewatch Factor 70

    The rewatch factor is one of the documentary’s stronger points, with many viewers expressing a desire to revisit the material for deeper insight. Positive audience feedback highlights the film’s thought‑provoking content and personal relevance, encouraging multiple viewings. Nonetheless, those who question its bias may be less inclined to return, tempering the overall replay appeal.

Plot

After Death Plot Summary

What happens in After Death from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Researchers stationed at a secluded jungle island outpost make a chilling discovery: the local inhabitants are deeply involved in the practices of voodoo and black magic. This eerie revelation leads them to a series of catastrophic events following the brutal killing of a local priest, James Sampson, who, in his desperation to shield his people from the invasive tests and experiments on the locals—one of whom is his own daughter who succumbed to cancer—unwittingly opens a gate to hell. This ominous portal allows the dead to rise, resulting in a massacre of the researchers, leaving only Jenny, the daughter of a scientific couple, to survive. She clings to life, protected by a magical necklace charm bestowed upon her by her mother just before her untimely demise.

Full summary

The whole story of After Death, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

After Death Box Office & Budget

After Death grossed $11.8 million worldwide on a $40 million budget, 30% of what it cost. $11.5 million came from the US and Canada and $352,534 (3%) from the rest of the world.

2023 box office

Worldwide gross

$11.8M

30% of its budget back

US & Canada
$11.5M
International
$352.5K
Budget
$40M
US & Canada 97% Rest of the world 3%
Videos

After Death Trailers & Videos

25 videos: 3 trailers, 2 teasers, 18 featurettes and 2 behind-the-scenes videos.

All 25 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Final Trailer
  • Trailer Official Trailer 2
  • Teaser Official Teaser Trailer
  • Teaser Out Now On Digital
Quiz

How Well Do You Know After Death?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What mystical item protects Jenny during her escape from the island?

Details

After Death Also Known As

8 alternative titles, including “بعد از مرگ” and “پس از مرگ”.

Also known as
  • بعد از مرگ
  • پس از مرگ
  • Después De La Muerte
  • После смерти
  • Depois da Morte
  • לאחר המוות
  • Après la mort
  • 彼岸的真相

Seen After Death?

FAQ

After Death FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of After Death, each answered in a sentence.

How long is After Death?

After Death runs 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes).

When was After Death released?

After Death was released on October 27, 2023.

Who directed After Death?

After Death was directed by Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke.

More films by Stephen Gray

Who is in the cast of After Death?

After Death stars Drew Neal Horton as Chuck, John Burke and Koko Marshall as Beverly, among 20 credited actors.

How much did After Death make at the box office?

After Death grossed $11.8 million worldwide ($11.5 million domestic, $352,534 international) on a budget of $40 million.

How is After Death rated?

After Death has 6.3/10 on IMDb, 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, 28 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.

Does After Death have a post-credit scene?

No. After Death has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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