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Let’s not get into comparisons between this version
of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and the 1951 version.
It’s pointless. There are only two things you need to know
as far as that’s concerned: (1) the phrase “Klaatu barata
nikto” is included, but it’s basically buried under layers
of synthesized noises; (2) the word GORT has been turned
into an acronym, standing for Genetically Organized Robotic
Technology. ***
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I feel it
best to tell you that this movie will be disappointing regardless
of your knowledge of the original film. It’s a science fiction
fable so heavy on commentary yet so light on virtually everything
else, not the least of which is a fully realized story with
properly developed characters. ***
It’s really more of a showcase for special effects,
which are apparently not dazzling enough to leave a lasting
impression; not even the destruction of Giants Stadium late
in the film is all that memorable. Maybe it’s because we’re
used to more famous landmarks being destroyed in disaster
films, such as the Empire State Building or the Hollywood
sign. ***
The film begins in 1928, where a man camping in the
snowy mountains of India has a fateful encounter with a
strange glowing orb, one that looks like a mini planet covered
by electrical storms. We then flash forward eighty years,
when we meet Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly), a microbiologist
living in New York City with her stepson, Jacob (Jaden Smith).
One night, Helen is escorted by a group of sinister government
officials to a military base in New Jersey, where she learns
that a large mass in space is on a rapid collision course
with Earth, specifically New York City. ***
To everyone’s amazement, the object slows down as it
enters the atmosphere above Central Park. It then lands
in a cloud of smoke; when the air clears, Helen, a group
of other brilliant minds, and the military discover a gigantic
glowing orb, seemingly a large version of a number of orbs
hidden around the world. From out of the orb emerges a creature,
which is immediately shot. Soon to follow is a towering
robot that reacts to the gunfire with force. ***
It isn’t long before the wounded alien is rushed into
some kind of intensive care unit, which is a little odd
when you stop and think about it. Did the military know
beforehand that aliens would be on the way and maybe in
need of medical care? Even if they did, how would they know
what to do to treat them? ***
Be that as it may, the wounded alien is brought in
and immediately attended to. Doctors make a fascinating
discovery: The grayish skin is actually a protective covering
for a very human-looking creature, one that quickly matures
into an adult male. His name is Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), and
he comes with a message: It’s been decided that planet Earth
has to be saved from mankind’s destructive tendencies. And
absolutely no one can stop it from happening. ***
The setup is promising enough. But the film sells itself
short in so many ways, most notably by not adding much-needed
weight to the severity of the situation. Klaatu is essentially
telling us that we’re about to be exterminated, and yet
there’s no satisfying sense of urgency or desperation. ***
Part of the problem may be that the story focuses on
too few characters. How can the audience feel the impact
of such a monumental problem when only a scientist and her
son are the main characters? Somehow, that doesn’t seem
big enough. Of course, there would be a major drawback;
not enough time would be left for compelling human drama
(and I’m not saying that just to be clever). ***
Then again, the drama in “The Day the Earth Stood Still”
is unoriginal at best, with most of it reserved for the
relationship between Helen and Jacob, which has been strained
since the untimely death of Jacob’s military father. He
puts so much effort into working against his stepmother
that, at times, he comes off as nothing more than a pouty
brat. At other times, it’s clear that he misses his father
greatly, which is to say that we do have some sympathy for
him. ***
I didn’t really believe that only three people were
all Klaatu needed to reconsider allowing humanity’s destruction.
The first two are Helen and Jacob. The third is Professor
Barnhardt (a cameo by John Cleese), a Nobel Prize winner
with a mathematical formula written on his own personal
blackboard (a formula Klaatu immediately sees flaws in).
The two engage in a brief but significant conversation;
when Klaatu says that his species only bettered itself when
it was on the brink of annihilation, Barnhardt argues that
humanity is in such a place now, and therefore ready to
make a change. ***
Klaatu also considers the words of a fellow alien-in-hiding--the
elderly Mr. Wu (James Hong), who has grown to love humanity,
despite the fact that they seem unwilling to change. It’s
an interesting moment, although one wonders why their meeting
was held at McDonalds. There’s something unappealing about
super-intelligent beings from another world sitting in a
McDonalds. ***
Just as unappealing were the infrequent appearances
of Regina Jackson (Kathy Bates), the Secretary of Defense;
she seemed like such an obvious character, someone included
just for the sake of creating conflict. And then there’s
the ending, which is very disappointing given the magnitude
of what Klaatu says to Helen. ***
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