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

2 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:

psychotronic film | alien | military | earth | scientist | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

As in the 1951 original, Klaatu was going to travel in a spaceship, but Scott Derrickson wanted the extraterrestrial aspect of the film to be more mysterious, and replaced the ship with a glowing orb.

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Goofs

Compositing/3D modeling error: After the helicopter lands in central park with the scientists the camera pans counter clockwise around the rear of the helicopter you can see on the left rear landing wheels the aircraft appears to slide to the right over the ground.

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Quotes

Professor Barnhardt: There must be alternatives. You must have some technology that could solve our problem.
Klaatu: Your problem is not technology. The problem is you. You lack the will to change.
Professor Barnhardt: Then help us change.
Klaatu: I cannot change your nature. You treat the world as you treat each other.
Professor Barnhardt: But every civilization reaches a crisis point eventually.
Klaatu: Most of them don't make it.
Professor Barnhardt: Yours did. How?
Klaatu: Our sun was dying. We had to evolve in order to survive.
Professor Barnhardt: So it was only when your world was threated with destruction that you became what ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Pastor Mike Online: Episode #1.143 (2013)

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Soundtracks

The Goldberg Variations: Aria Da Capo and Variation No. 1
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Ryan Franks
Courtesy of Crucial Music
[Played at Professor Barnhardt's home]

User Reviews

The Kid's Not Alright

Can one little kid ruin a movie?

Yup.

Think I'm exaggerating? Watch this film. You can see Exhibit A of it right here in this science-fiction "classic" film, a re-make of the 1950s hit movie of the same title. This re-make actually would have only "bad" without inserting this annoying kid, but he made it "horrendous." Jaden Smith as "Jacob Benson" is a spoiled, chip-on-his-shoulder, disrespectful kid who incessantly talks back to his mother, who puts up with it - which is equally annoying for most audiences.

What was the purpose of inserting this kid in the film? What were the writers thinking? I'm glad to see a number of reviewers here agree with me on this one. I guess if you're the son of a famous actor (Will Smith), they'll insert you in film roles, even if there is no purpose to it. And Hollywood wonders why people don't go to the movies much any more, and they sneer at pitiful re-makes?

Meanwhile, Keanu Reeves was a good choice for his starring role: an emotionless robot-like alien. Reeves is such a wooden-sounding actor to begin with that playing a bland robot is good casting for him. "Klaatu" is tailor-made for him.

Comedy was provided via the ludicrous environmental fear-mongering message in here. I laughed out loud in several spots when "Klaatu" explained to us the reason for his mission. It's so stupid, it's laughable. I was reminded of Ed Wood's horrible sci-fi stories in the 1950s.

I will say some of the special-effects and the surround sound in here is excellent. It was the highlight of the movie. These are good visuals and good audio, and a nice film to view on Blu-Ray. Unfortunately, the story got in the way.

Details

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:

$30,480,153, 14 December 2008

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