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Disappointing remake
12/17/08
The day the Earth Stood Still
20th Century Fox
Rating: PG
103 minutes
It’s been years since this reviewer saw the 1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still but watching the remake, I wish I could watch the original again instead.
They’ve followed the original story closely. But instead of warning against the madness of the nuclear race as in 1951, the aliens now say they have to destroy mankind because we are destroying the earth; rather a nice twist. Al Gore must be smiling.
The aliens are represented by Klaatu, played by an robotic Keanu Reeves, after a layer of placenta-like guck is peeled off him after he is shot in Central Park in New York where the aliens first land.
Jennifer Connelly plays a professor who helps spring Reeves from the secret lab where he is kept and pleadingly tries to save mankind, telling Reeves repeatedly that we can change.
Kathy Bates has the unrewarding role of the Secretary of Defence, determined to use every weapon to defeat the superior technology of the aliens (a lampoon of George W. Bush?).
Remakes seldom work. Hollywood sees better special effects as an improvement, or thinks more action sequences are better than intelligent conversation or character development.
Yes, the giant pulsating sphere Reeves and the giant robot Gort arrive in is impressive, but special effects don’t make up for the dumbing down of the story.
This remake is not a completely bad try, but even with its dated technology the 1951 version is still better.
Rating: two deer out of five
New on Video
Burn After Reading is the best bet for the next week or so.
Alf Cryderman is a Red Deer freelance writer and old movie buff.
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