Reviewed by: Fergus McShane

Directed by: Scott Derrickson

Price: £19.99

[ratings]

Another year goes by, and Hollywood doles out another set of remakes. Among them, The Day the Earth Stood Still stands out, being the modern version of a cherished 1951 sci-fi cult classic. Unfortunately, this particular remake doesn’t quite live up to the status of the original.

When humanoid Klaatu arrives on Earth with a gigantic ominous robot, the end of the world is in sight, with a group of alien worlds having deemed humankind too destructive to be allowed to live.

More of a thriller than the thought-provoking, war-questioning original, The Day the Earth Stood Still runs with the idea that a modern sci-fi should first and foremost be used to provide spectacle over substance. And while the film looks utterly impressive, the message is muddled – Keanu Reeves’s Klaatu comes to Earth to stop the destruction of the environment, but he instead gives Earth another chance simply because of humanity’s ability to love. Will this really solve any of the problems humans were condemned for?

Opting to cash in by cliché rather than character, The Day the Earth Stood Still languishes in its own destruction. A pity, given that there are some great actors present (Jennifer Connelly, John Cleese and Kathy Bates) who are just not allowed to perform.

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