Feature Film Review - The Day the Earth Stood Still

Rating:

Twentieth Century Fox raids the vaults in search of a holiday hit, and uses one of its most revered and timeless science fiction classics as target practice. The original 1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still remains a trendsetting space-age fable. A flying saucer lands in Washington D.C., and its crew of two (a humanoid and a powerful robot) warn the world's leaders of impending doom unless man abandons his war-mongering ways. Under the expert direction of Robert Wise and propelled by one of composer Bernard Hermann's most memorable scores, the film is unquestionably a standout.

So naturally, an effects-driven blockbuster remake starring Keanu Reeves seemed a no-brainer to Fox executives. Director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) and screenwriter David Scarpa rework the original Edmund H. North screenplay into a loud and flashy free-for-all. This time around, alien messenger Klaatu arrives in a glowing sphere with menacing robot GORT in tow. The message is similar: humanity must perish in order for the Earth to survive. Denied conference with world ambassadors, Klaatu (Reeves) escapes custody and connects with a biologist (Jennifer Connelly) and her young stepson (Jaden Smith). Meanwhile, the defense department attempts to restrain and study the towering GORT unsuccessfully. As Klaatu comes to discover the inherent good nature of man, he attempts to stave off the planet's imminent destruction.

Klaatu's orb (4.3 light years per gallon) is
doing GM no favors.

The result is a big box office mockery of everything that made the original Day so great. All of the bells, buzzers and whistles supplied by state-of-the-art special effects and modern movie-making technique can do nothing to spice up an incredibly bland presentation. A few new twists and turns prove only to taint the preexisting tale rather than inject any creativity into this half-backed attraction. The expected one-note performance from Reeves is surprisingly one of the film's most forgivable trespasses. Scattershot direction, uncompelling spectacle and wretched scripting serve to undermine any dramatic potential, and the entire mess collapses mere minutes into the running time.

Along the way, Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates (Misery) and Monty Python alum John Cleese are wasted (and miscast) in supporting roles, and the acting chops of Will Smith's son Jaden seem better suited for a Disney Channel sitcom than a theatrical thriller. Much like the swarm of metallic nano-insects that begin chewing up the scenery by film's end, the movie drifts to a foggy finale void of emotion or resolution. Despite all of this, the film has topped the box-office and has become the number one movie in America as of this writing. And it is this breed of irreverent Hollywood money-maker that ensures the similar treatment of any number of cinematic classics for years to come. Where does it end? What work of art will next be repackaged for a new generation of fans deemed too lazy to seek out the great films of yesteryear? At the end of The Day, curious moviegoers are better off spending their hard earned bucks on a rental of the original, and boycotting Tinseltown's ongoing barrage of twice-told tales in hopes of something more inventive in the bleak future of the silver screen.

Walt is Senior Writer for www.featurefilmreview.com. Email comments to walter (at) featurefilmreview (dot) com.