As I sit here, fingers at the ready on my keyboard, I suddenly realized that I have no idea how to start reviewing Keanu Reeves's latest film, 'The Day The Earth Stood Still'. I've been staring at the computer screen for almost 10 minutes and it only came to my attention now that this is one of those rare times when I simply can't find the words to begin an entry. Does this mean the movie has no effect on me whatsoever?
A remake of the 1951 film of the same name, the movie is about an alien that came to save Earth from the humans, who are seen as a destructive factor to the blue planet. Apparently, Earth is one of very few planets in the entire solar system that can support life, and Klaatu (the alien played by Keanu Reeves) has been assigned to activate the move to save all life beings on the planet.....except the human race.
When I first saw Keanu Reeves in the trailer of 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' (hence forth will be referred to as TDTESS), I had the impression that I was watching him play Constantine all over again. It's kinda hard to differentiate his characters when his facial expression is almost always the same in every movie, and especially when the feel of TDTESS is similar to Constantine
That reminds me, it seems that in the movie world, whenever an alien comes to Earth, they always seem to land in America. Why is that?
Throughout the movie, you'll start to wonder whether TDTESS is trying to show America in a bad light. Just because Klaatu and his giant sphere and robotic anti-violence friend landed in Central Park, the US government refused to let any foreign scientist or other nations from having any contact with the alien, and the President's secretary wasn't open to the idea of letting him speak to the the gathering of world leaders, indicating in her own way that the US speaks for the entire world. Then comes the violence from the US soldiers. It was bad enough that some jumpy soldier decided to open fire on Klaatu when all he wanted was to communicate with Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly), but to use firepower of tanks and fighter jets on the big-ass robot? Not very smart. No wonder Klaatu's people think humans are scum, 'coz in just a short phase, we've shown just how selfish and violent we are, not just to each other, but to other beings. Some welcome wagon we are. :P
As for Will Smith's son, I didn't realize that Jaden Smith was acting as Dr. Helen Benson's step-son at the time, but I remembered thinking how annoying the character was.
Truth be told, the movie started off well. The script was good with bits and pieces of comedy here and there as well as sharp words that strike at the human core, such as Klaatu saying, "If the Earth dies, you die. If the human race dies, the Earth survives." There was adequate action scenes what with the fighter jets flying through New York's skyscrapers and the steel(?) locusts wrecking havoc in their path. However, the ending was just.....anti-climatic. You get the feeling that the movie never really ended and you sit there in the cinema, still expecting more even though the end credits are already rolling. But you have to admit, the movie makes you think, especially the constantly repeated sentence of humans only changing when they reach the precipice, the turning-point.
Do we really? Will we finally change our ways when we see that the Earth can no longer tolerate our inconsiderateness, our selfishness? Will we be like Klaatu's people who only changed when they saw their sun dying? Will we then finally stop taking and start giving? Maybe we will, maybe we won't.
So, I personally think that TDTESS is good for passing the time and maybe for making your brain work a little, but as a blockbuster, it may not match up to most people's expectations. But if you are going to watch it, keep an eye out for these goofs at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970416/goofs that IMDB found throughout the movie. I hope you'll at least have a good time in the cinema. :D
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