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This is the way the world ends not with a band but with
a whimpy remake The remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still"
demonstrates that the makers wanted to honor the original
film BUT try something different so it would be remembered
on its own merit. Unfortunately, it's more "The Day the
Film Stood Still" which, after a riveting first half hour,
unravels and has a turgid pace. There are some really clever
ideas in the film including the way transformation of Gort
and Reeves actually is quite believable as an other worldly
visitor playing the role much as Kyle MacLaughlan did the
main character in the classic sci-fi flick "The Hidden";
Reeves looks human but is about as disconnected as someone
with Asperger Syndrome. ***
Robert Wise's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is, hands
down, a classic film. If you're going to tackle a remake
you should probably be as different as possible from the
original and the remake "The Day the Earth Stood Still"
(the title of which doesn't quite make sense because, well,
in the remake the Earth doesn't stand still at all unlike
the original film) does get some things right even if the
center doesn't hold. The film has all the hallmarks of having
been recut or rewritten during production which, if that's
the case, might explain why it starts off so well but falls
apart by the end (where it literally just "ends"--it doesn't
have a conclusion). ***
As in the original film the Earth is visited by an
extraterrestrial named Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) who comes to
our planet to warn us about our evil ways. David Scarpa's
screenplay (which is adapted from the original script by
Edmund H. North which, in turn, was an adaption of Harry
Bates short story "Farewell to the Master") does take a
couple of original and interesting twists and turns before
becoming turgid and lifeless. Director Scott Derrickson
("The Exorcism of Emily Rose") opens the film with an impending
disaster--a large object is on a parabolic course for Earth
and will crash in the heart of Manhattan. Dr. Michael Grainer
(Jon Hamm in a wasted role) assembles a team of scientists
including Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) who must
plot out the possible aftermath of this collision which
will in all probability kill all life on Earth. Instead,
the object slows down and settles for a soft landing in
Central Park. This massive iridescent globe spits out Klaatu
(Reeves) who is initially unrecognizable as human. He's
shot as he comes out of the approaches Benson and a group
of other scientists. Gort a 15 foot tall silicon robot follows
him out shutting down all power on Earth for a few moments
(OK maybe the Earth DID stand still for a moment BUT it
wasn't the pivotal plot point here as in the original film)
and threatens much more until Klaatu tell shim to stop.
Rushed to a hospital, a surgeon cuts open Klaatu's space
craft to discover…he's human after all and he has a message
for humanity that we won't like. ***
The first half hour of the film is promising but it
quickly falls apart and fails to involve the viewer. Perhaps
part of this could be Reeves performance playing Klaatu
with a flat affect but, I suspect, it has more to do with
a central premise that isn't logical (although it IS interesting…I
could see how it would work IF Klaatu had stated that they
seeded our planet and came back to pick out the weeds)and
a flashy narrative that is all surface with little character
development. When the film ends it just…ends…no big conclusion,
no big sent off it just stops. The film doesn't have a convincing
moment when Klaatu realizes that we are WORTH saving because
either Scarpia didn't write it or it was cut (which begs
the question WHY was it cut since it is an emotionally relevant
scene and it is the hinge that the entire film must pivot
off of. Certainly it can't be the scene where Klaatu sees
Benson crying towards the conclusion?). ***
I had the feeling that this wasn't the film that Derrickson
set out to make. There was a lot of potential here and themes
that he could sink his teeth into but I suspect he was overwhelmed
with the technical challenge of this film compared to his
previous projects. ***
There are films out there ("The Dark Knight", "Iron
Man") that tackle difficult themes/questions and STILL manage
that fine balancing act of serious film and popcorn pleasing
flick. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" isn't one of them.
It's technically accomplished with some fine visual effects
(Gort is pretty impressive up close even if they chose to
render the character in CGI and he has an even more diminished
role in the film).
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