The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

Dir. Scott Derrickson

A remake of the The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) wasn't needed, but the underlying message is still pertinent, so there's some justification for updating and presenting it anew to a generation of science-fiction fans that may have missed out on the previous film.

Many of the same elements are in place, but most are approached from a different perspective; some are even inverted. The changes in the first hour were good, taking into account the progressions in technology and giving the film more urgency than its predecessor.

I was expecting scenes of a CGI Gort laying waste to over-familiar parts of America, but, mercifully, Gort's used only when needed. The focus is on Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) and his relationship with his surroundings, as it ought to be. I know that Keanu isn't the best actor in the world, but the remoteness that often characterises his style is, I feel, beneficial to the character this time around. In context, he's as suited as Michael Rennie was to the 1951 version.