THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008) (Remake)

CAST: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connolly, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, Kyle Chandler, James Hong, Robert Knepper, John Cleese

Directed By: Scott Derrikson
Written By: David Scarpa; Based on the original Screenplay: Edmund H. North
Cinematography By: David Tattersall
Editor: Wayne Wahrman

Now I will admit I didn’t see the original but I know it is held by many as one of the better science fiction films ever. Even by today’s standards it would be considered slow but the acting great at leas that’s what I heard and one day I will watch it to see for myself but for right now I will review it’s inferior (As Usual) Remake or re-imagining

Now I like the films downbeat nihilistic end of the world message that it stays true to until the end of the film before finally copping out at the end. Which greatly disappointed me because if it had stayed on it’s track I could at least give it credit as original.

I don’t know why Keanu Reeves choose this movie. After THE MATRIX trilogy. He doesn’t need the money. You would think he would be more picky but maybe he doesn’t get sent the best but at least he seems to have found his genre. He is actually good in the film as he doesn’t have to speak much and most of the acting required is physical. So that his stiffness actually works for him in the role since he’s supposed to be playing a alien. But I will admit his acting has never bothered me or phased me as most of his projects are more studio popcorn fare then deep independent or dramatic films.

The Scary thing is that he is also one of the highest grossing Sci-Fi and fantasy actors. The only other actors I can think of with as much clout in the genre nowadays are Will Smith, (whose son Jaden co-stars in the film) Christian Bale and strangely Vin Diesel. What happened when Sci-fi heroes used to be intelligent and nerdy now they are all studly but you have a hard time necessarily believing the intelligence.

As usual there is plenty of time spent on glorious impressive special effects so much that you get whole sequences of just showing it. There is nothing too noteworthy the directing is basic and doesn’t set itself apart.

The film introduces a quirky family situation to the film. In which Jennifer Connolly is a stepmother to a child whose mother died when he was a bay then she arrived his father who was murdered in a war. It’s really the only personality that the film has.

Jennifer Connolly who is fast becoming the queen of melancholy movies. but she always seems to star in movies that should be hits but don’t quite make it even critically like DARK WATERand RESERVATION ROAD. I love her as a actress she just needs the right director to see her as they’re muse like David Cronenberg. There is no reason she couldn’t have a career like Kate Winslet or Angelina Jolie. I wonder if she should shift to action films so she could be like Milla Jovovich (Herself the lower budget equivalent of Angelina Jolie)

I Don’t really have much to say about this film I’m sure it serves up it’s audiences needs but is barely entertaining it’s a movie that just plays and you stare at it time to time but it’s a film that’s better to just have on as you do other things and tend to check back on time to time trust me you don’t really miss anything doing it.

In The end the film comes off as a big budget message film informing us to take care of the planet before we are taken care of permanently. We fail it, it will fail us. And to make sure we get it the studio spent over $100 million dollars.

Skip it.

GRADE: D+