If an advanced alien civilization came to our world and intended to destroy us, it is very certain we might have no chance. In the remake of the classic THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, energy spheres land on Earth. The US government thinks it may be an invasion and learn this could be the endgame for the human race. Keanu Reeves is the very alien Klaatu. His body may be human, but everything else is different. He has come to decide whether the human race is worth saving or should be destroyed to save the planet Earth. A lone scientist, Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly), decides to help Klaatu and she is fought every step by her step-son Jacob (Jaden Smith) who thinks he should be destroyed. In the original, the boy formed a relationship with Klaatu while the remake has the kid at odds with Klaatu (blaming the world for his death of his Dad and feeling like he is all alone).

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL remake offers a harsh reality where paranoia, panic, and the end of days is all too real if an alien race wanted to destroy us. Gort is a giant robot who can turn into a nanite swarm that can devour anything in it's path. The remake presents a choice that means sacrifice while the original presents a warning. The first version came out of the nuclear scare times of the cold War in the 1950s where the remake is all about the environment. THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is definitely a much better film that THE HAPPENING. It also meets the basic rules of a remake- it has to offer something new and still be recognizable. The remake does both while leaving everything standing still in the end. Whether film goers and fans of the original will love or hate it is up to them.

The big problem that everyone has noticed is how the film ends. Klaatu doesn't deliver a message. The message is dropped at the end and making you wonder what was the point anyway of this remake. It provides more lead into the introduction of Klaatu before turning into a chase movie as Benson tries to convince Klaatu not to destroy Earth while Gort decides to become a swarm. Yes, I said swarm! Should Gort had more of a presence in this fim like the original? Yes. Do I miss the way the first one ended? yep. The remake gets caught up too much in the dumb blockbuster mode by the end. It is a shame since the remake does have many interesting ideas. I wonder what Klaatu and Gort would think of the remake's ending. Would they think it delivered a message or just dropped the ball?


this movie review is (c)12-15-2008 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  

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