So I finally watched THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL remake . . .

indianasmith · April 11, 2009, 01:57:38 PM

I was fully prepared for it to be atrocious, having read the almost universally negative reviews it got on this site. But, the original was one of my wife's favorites, so we decided to check it out this evening. And . . . .

it

just

wasn't

that

bad.

(Indy ducks as a shower of rotten fruit comes flying through his computer screen)

Wait a minute, guys!!! I didn't say it was great. But it really isn't awful either.

Yes, Kianu Reeves was kinda wooden. But he is an alien grafted into a human body, for crying out loud!!! He doesn't know how to emote! (I mean in real life, by the way.)

Yes, it was kinda preachy, and like everyone, I get tired of being lectured by a bunch of Hollywood hypocrites who waste more energy in a month than I will in my lifetime.

But, bottom line, this was a fun, entertaining movie with a message that wasn't intolerably dumb, and some good performances along the way. So, if you haven't seen it yet, ignore the naysayers and give it a look. And if you did see it and publicly trash it here on the forum, try watching it again - this time, forget it is a remake and watch it as a stand-alone movie. It may be better than you thought!

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some rotten fruit to clean up.

wickednick · April 12, 2009, 05:47:03 AM

I never cared much for the first one, I can see why some people like it but it wasn't my cup of tea. The remake I found to be just as dull as the first, just better effects.

Jack · April 12, 2009, 06:54:31 AM

I have no interest at all in this remake, there are so many other movies out there I can't imagine any reason to waste a perfectly good movie night on this thing. I don't like Keanu Reeves at all, I don't like Hollywood at all, and Hollywood + preaching = zero percent chance that I'd ever watch it.

The Burgomaster · April 13, 2009, 01:52:23 PM

I saw it during its theatrical run. It wasn't terrible, but it did have a hugely disappointing ending. Overall, not a very memorable film, but I could sit through it again. I thought some of the scenes with Gort were pretty good. I guess this is an "I can take it or leave it" movie.

Ash · April 13, 2009, 02:41:05 PM

It's next on my Netflix queue and should be arriving tomorrow.
And for the record, I like Keanu Reeves and most of the movies he's been in.
I've never understood why so many people hate him so much.

The Burgomaster · April 13, 2009, 03:39:49 PM

Quote from: Ash on April 13, 2009, 02:41:05 PM
It's next on my Netflix queue and should be arriving tomorrow.
And for the record, I like Keanu Reeves and most of the movies he's been in.
I've never understood why so many people hate him so much.

I don't hate Keanu Reeves . . . I just think he has a limited range and when he sticks to roles within that range, he's okay. When he tries to venture outside certain limits, he makes me uneasy.

Neville · April 13, 2009, 04:41:03 PM

I never saw the original. I agree, to a certain extent, that the new version isn't a total waste. Keanu Reeves, as indiansmith said, does well in the role of Klaatu, and some scenes scattered throughout the film are great -such as the encounter between Klaatu and a highway patrolman, or the scene later at the graveyard-.

But then everytime the whole thing focuses on the military or in vast scale destruction the whole thing gets boring as Hell. I was tempted to leave the theatre, for instance, at the very beginning, when the military inspect the UFO or whatever Klaatu uses as transportation. I was literaly counting the seconds wasted in shots of people getting closer, and closer, and yet even closer to the arctifact.

Rev. Powell · April 13, 2009, 05:57:50 PM

Quote from: Ash on April 13, 2009, 02:41:05 PM
And for the record, I like Keanu Reeves and most of the movies he's been in.
I've never understood why so many people hate him so much.

I think BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA has a lot to do with it. He almost singlehandedly ruined that movie, though Wynona Ryder sure did her part.

akiratubo · April 13, 2009, 08:02:37 PM

Quote from: wyckednick on April 12, 2009, 05:47:03 AM
I never cared much for the first one, I can see why some people like it but it wasn't my cup of tea. The remake I found to be just as dull as the first, just better effects.

My opinion exactly. The remake did p**s me off though. There was a giant robot. It should have smashed things. It didn't. Instead, it turned into a cloud of little nanobots.

Hammock Rider · April 14, 2009, 01:38:22 PM

Seriously Akiraturbo, mis-use of a cool-ass giant robot should be a punishable offense.

Blackstone · April 15, 2009, 11:48:50 AM

Everyone KNEW that the new DTESS would have better effects and be in color. Technology. Keanu Reeves was OK---he is a fair actor but of limited dimensions. The storyline wasn't great but this was a case of people really liking the '50's version and knowing that a remake wasn't even come close to the original. It's really
tough to block the images of a great old movie out of someone's memory---unless something is unbelievably great, it ain't gonna happen.

Original: 5 of 5.

Remake: 3 of 5. (Big-time extra points for SPFX and secondary casting.)

flackbait · April 16, 2009, 01:47:04 AM

Okay the odd thing for me is I've never seen the movies but I've read the short story the movie was based on. I liked the short story it had an pretty intersting plot twist at the end. I'm guessing this short story is very different than the movie because the book wasn't very preachy it just commented briefly on the nature of man. Can anyone verify if I'm right?

AndyC · April 23, 2009, 08:56:27 AM

Quote from: Jack on April 12, 2009, 06:54:31 AM
I have no interest at all in this remake, there are so many other movies out there I can't imagine any reason to waste a perfectly good movie night on this thing. I don't like Keanu Reeves at all, I don't like Hollywood at all, and Hollywood + preaching = zero percent chance that I'd ever watch it.

That about sums up my feelings. A preachy Hollywood remake starring Keanu Reeves is not something I care to see.

Maybe when the Rifftrax becomes available.

CheezeFlixz · April 25, 2009, 12:01:30 AM

I wasted $3 on this tonight...
With Keanu Reeves I know what I'm going to get there, so no surprise.
Jennifer Connelly needs to put about 10-15 lbs back on see looked much better when she was full figured.
Jaden Smith was just a annoying the movie would have been much better without some whiny kid.

Over all I'd give it about 2.5 out of 5 it's a take it or leave it.

Ash · April 25, 2009, 02:39:57 PM

I actually kind of liked this film.
It wasn't great, but it didn't suck, either.

I have never seen the original and only had a vague idea as to what the story was about. I found myself immediately drawn in at the beginning of the film and it held my attention throughout.
As for the casting of Keanu Reeves...I thought he was perfect for the role.
The one unanimous thing that I think we and every other person on every other message board on the internet can agree on is that Jaden Smith should not have been in this movie!
Not just him, but the character in general. That kid should've been completely written out of the story.
At one point in the movie, he says and does some stuff that could convince Klatuu to really go through with his decision to destroy all humans on earth.
Here is Jennifer Conelly's character trying to convince Klatuu not to, and then there is that damn kid who almost single handedly has a hand in destroying the human race.
Awful character. One of the most annoying that I've ever seen in movie history.

Other than that, I thought it was a decent film and give it 3 out of 4 stars.