The Day The Earth Stood Still (x)
Director: Scott Derrickson.
Screenplay: David Scarpa.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Jaden Smith, John Cleese, Kyle Chandler, James Hong, Robert Knepper, John Rothman.
Science-Fiction is normally a genre that has excitement, scares, great visuals and innovative ideas. Not something that is tedious, uninteresting and excruciatingly boring.
Astrobiologist Helen (Jennifer Connelly) is whisked away to help the government when strange goings-on herald an alien landing. The giant sphere that settles in New York’s Central Park carries an alien, Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) who comes to save the Earth – but perhaps not humanity…
The original was done in the 1950’s so a big-budget Hollywood remake was always likely to happen before long. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long enough. When will they ever learn that classics are better left alone? On very rare occasions a good remake can happen, just not on this occasion. Not only is it very far from a decent retread but it’s very far from being a decent film altogether. It has a tired ecological message of how we are destroying our world, which has been done better many times before. Reeves is passable in a suitably undemanding and disconnected role. Connelly is wasted and way above this, Kathy Bates and Jon Hamm have nothing to do and young Jaden Smith (son of Will) is an irritating little shit. Ain’t nepotism a bitch?
If we lived in a world that consistantly churned out stinkers like this, we SHOULD be eradicated as a species.
Mark Walker
MARKED MOVIES 
August 7, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Ha! Love that line! Can’t argue with the general sentiment. I’d love to hear your thoughts on JKM’s comparative article, Mark. Thanks for the heads up.
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August 7, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Exactly. I have to tell you that my second viewing of this, looking at it in the context JKM put out there, was a better experience than the first screening.
You make a great point about it all. JKM loves to hear others in the blogosphere discuss their reactions to his work. You might think about leaving what you wrote over at Fogs’ site at JKM’s. Just a thought. Thanks for giving his article a read.
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August 8, 2012 at 11:44 am
I’ll definitely keep what he said in mind if I ever watch this again Michael. That’s a big “IF” though, I don’t think I’ll be visiting it any time soon but who knows?
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