The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

A remake of the 1951 classic science fiction film about an alien visitor and his giant robot counterpart who visit Earth.

Director:

Scott Derrickson

Writers:

David Scarpa (screenplay), Edmund H. North

Stars:

Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keanu Reeves	...	Klaatu
Jennifer Connelly	...	Helen Benson
Kathy Bates	...	Regina Jackson
Jaden Smith	...	Jacob Benson
John Cleese	...	Professor Barnhardt
Jon Hamm	...	Michael Granier
Kyle Chandler	...	John Driscoll
Robert Knepper	...	Colonel
James Hong	...	Mr. Wu
John Rothman	...	Dr. Myron
Sunita Prasad	...	Rouhani
Juan Riedinger	...	William Kwan
Sam Gilroy	...	Tom
Tanya Champoux	...	Isabel
Rukiya Bernard	...	Student

Storyline

Dr. Helen Benson is summoned to a military facility with several other scientists when an alien spacecraft of sorts arrives in New York City. Aboard is a human-like alien and a giant robot of immense size and power. The alien identifies himself as Klaatu and says he has come to save the Earth. The US military and political authorities see him as a threat however and decide to use so-called intensive interrogation techniques on him but Dr. Benson decides to facilitate his escape. When she learns exactly what he means when he says he is there to save the Earth, she tries to convince him to change his intentions.

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Plot Keywords:

alien | military | earth | scientist | giant robot | 

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Taglines:

He came to save the Earth. Not us.

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sci-fi disaster images and violence

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [France] 20th Century Fox [United States]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

12 December 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

D.T.E.S.S.

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,000,000, 12 December 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$79,366,978

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$233,093,859

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox,3 Arts Entertainment,Dune Entertainment III

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Helen drives a Honda hybrid, an appropriate vehicle for a heroine in a movie with an environmental message.

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Goofs

When Dr. Benson asks the government agent why the highway is shut down, the car window next to the agent is rolled up and completely closed, as evidenced by numerous rain droplets on the window. When the camera angle changes to show the convoy on the empty highway, that window is now completely open.

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Quotes

Helen Benson: Why did you come here?
Klaatu: I came to save the world.
Helen Benson: From what?

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Connections

Referenced in Family Guy: Brian's Got a Brand New Bag (2009)

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Soundtracks

On the Radio
Written and Performed by Larry Bagby
Courtesy of California Country Records

User Reviews

Disappointing

Let's be blunt: this is definitely not a good movie; it's not horrid either, it's just somewhere between average and bad. There are quite a few problems. First, with the script, which tries to incorporate all elements of the 1951 movie into a new, updated whole. The end result lacks cohesion and plays more like a sequence of 5 to 10 minutes scenes badly sewn together, the prime objective of each scene being either to introduce an element taken from the original movie or, on the contrary, an idea absent form the1951 original, instead of simply advancing the story. Second, the direction: poor, poor, poor. Third, some of the worst acting I have seen in a mainstream movie for a long time; I found the leads, especially Keanu, quite good but the other actors are decent at best, with Katie Bates delivering a frighteningly catastrophic 'performance'. I was not shocked (positively or negatively) by all the other aspects of the film.

Coming out of the theater, I found myself pondering about this remake and the 1951 original. I find the Robert Wise movie quite good, but not the masterpiece some claim it to be. I was therefore ready to accept a remake and the few new ideas offered by the 2008 movie made me painfully aware that a remake could indeed have been interesting, had it been put in better hands or, if I dare say so, in much better hands. So, to me, it's another sadly missed opportunity.