Day the Earth Stood Still (Three-Disc Widescreen + Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, John CleeseDirector: Scott Derrickson
Studio: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Running Time: 104 minutes
DVD Release: April 7th 2009
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DVD Review
Impressive special effects are the key selling point for this big-budget remake of Robert Wise's classic 1951 science fiction parable about an alien visitor who delivers a chilling ultimatum to the leaders of the world. Keanu Reeves, who seemed ideal at first blush but ultimately turns into another case of miscasting, steps in for Michael Rennie as intergalactic watchdog Klaatu, who with his robot Gort (now super-sized), promises global destruction unless the powers that be unless drastic measures are undertaken regarding the Earth's environmental issues (or so one assumes). Jennifer Connelly is largely wasted in the Patricia Neal role of scientist/single mom assigned to study Klaatu, who offers a somewhat chilly father figure to her son (a grating Jaden Smith). Connelly isn't the only fine actor in the cast left standing idle while director Scott Derrickson's effects team constructs eye-popping scenes of wholesale mayhem; Mad Men's Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, John Cleese and Rob Knepper are all adrift in the aimless script by David Scarpa, which never even fully explains why Klaatu is so bent on blowing us to smithereens. That lack of focus, as well as the B-movie quality of the dialogue (say what you will about the effects in the Wise version, but the film was polished from top to bottom), all help to cement what science fiction fans have been muttering about the film since its inception; the original film needed no high-tech updating --Paul Gaita
Stills from The Day the Earth Stood Still (Click for larger image)
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User Reviews
A Sobering Story About The Stupidity Of The Human Race! - Rating: 5/5
This is a profound story about human arrogance. Most of the developed world and plenty of the undeveloped world believes when it comes to the environment that Might Makes Right! End of story! It's what capitalism is based on! Plants and animals and landscapes don't have legal standing! In other words, they have no rights! In the Day the Earth Stood Still, the tables are turned on the human race by an extremely advanced, extraterrestrial aliens and then we have NO RIGHTS! Now we get to see how it feels when our species is considered to be like a virus needing to be destroyed in order to save all other life on the planet. Based on the poor reviews this film received by most people, I guess the storyline has hit a nerve!
I want to thank Hollywood for having the courage to make such a deep film in a world so crass and shallow! It's a sheer pleasure to watch a movie with a message than the usual dribble that constantly makes it to the big screen!!
See: Divine Destruction: Dominion Theology and American Environmental Policy (Melville Manifestos) and Nihilism Incorporated: European Civilization and Environmental Destruction and The Destruction of the Bison: An Environmental History, 1750-1920 (Studies in Environment and History)
It's not that bad - Rating: 4/5
Come on people, the movie is not that bad. Sure it may not be the Matrix, but it's a nice flick to enjoy, if you are into sci-fi. I will not deny the the movie may slow down towards the middle, and that Will Smith's son is totally annoying in the movie, but other than that; it is a viewable flick.
A mix of the original and Starman - Rating: 2/5
The remake should have stuck more to the original. Why "Starman" was mixed in is beyond me-they had such potential with Gort, and, frankly blew it!
You've GORT to be kidding me! - Rating: 2/5
Regina Jackson: I want to apologize to you; it seems we got off to a bad start.
Klaatu: It seems we did.
In fact, if the Secretary of Defense (Kathy Bates) and Klaatu the alien (Keanu Reeves) were referring to this movie in the above conversation; I'd have to disagree and say that it got off to a rather good start, but then blasted itself to smithereens with its overwhelming emphasis on special effects.
Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):
1. Government hastily gathers group of eggheads and gives them just over an hour to deal with an unknown object which is hurtling through space at unbelievable speed and is just about ready to touch down in Manhattan.
2. Instead of telling the almost certainly destructive force to take a number, due to the long waiting list of aliens, creatures and other movies impatiently awaiting their turn to destroy the city of New York, the eggheads put on funny suits and take a walk in the Park.
3. A close encounter with an alien in a fat suit and a big ole robot named GORT follows.
4. Given the acting in this movie, the audience may have a hard time figuring out which of the emotionless beings is the alien Klaatu.
5. Keanu may actually have been better off being casted as GORT.
6. Apparently, the aliens have their plan well worked out in advance, and have the balls to prove it.
7. Unlike the human race, this movie is hardly worth saving.
Amanda Richards, March 15, 2009
Global Warming? Stupid. - Rating: 1/5
Global Warming? This film is like a bad joke.
First off, check the weather channel's temperature record. Average temperature is dropping, not increasing. We haven't hit a record high temperature for a whole year. Just put in your zip code and look at the record high temperature below, then keep track of the temperature.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/monthly/AZBLMAS:13
Second, how realistic is it that Aliens will travel millions of light-years to tell us, "Hey guys, your cars are killing the planet, stop it." It's like phoning E.T. and telling him to stop emitting CO2. Why would we care? That's just stupid.
Third, Mars's polar ice cap is also melting at the exact time ours is. Should we tell the Martians to stop emitting CO2? Oh, maybe our cars are polluting Mars too.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/07aug_southpole.htm
