20th Century Fox
www.thedaytheearthstoodstillmovie.com
The Day The Earth Stood Still is loosely based on the 1951 classic of the same name and stars Keanu Reeves as a visitor from another planet with plans to save ours. When a giant sphere makes its presence known in Central Park, all the armed forces are broken out to discover just what it is. From inside appear two things; the first is an alien named Klaatu (Reeves) who sheds its outer skin to appear human and the second a GIANT alien shape that is capable of deconstructing itself. The aliens appear with the aim of saving planet Earth from obliteration, even if this means eliminating the human race on it.
In a generation where we are lacking the ability to look after ourselves let alone the plane we inhabit, The Day The Earth Stood Still looks at the human image and gives us a statement to think over “If Earth dies, we die, if we die, the Earth survives.” The film is a large thinker, not only about the planet, but also about things such as where these spheres come from, what is inside them and how does this alien look human?
The simplicity of the original suited the time in which it was created. You must roll with the times and that is exactly what director Scott Derrickson has done. When you think of a sci-fi flick you are flooded with images of aliens, UFO’s and more specifically the advance with technology; this plays an extremely large role in The Day The Earth Stood Still. From setting the scene with dark tones, filming mostly at night with foggy shots, rain, snow, wind and controlling the mix of colours in the shots to going all out on Computer Generated Images. Visual effects are incredible with much of the alien footage and helicopters’ being placed in the scenes after filming was completed.
Keanu Reeves is an incredible actor, especially when it comes to sci-fi flicks. He had impact in the writing of the film as well as production aiming to make all characters believable and enjoyable to watch. He isn’t exposed as the alien character out straight, which adds some mystery to the thickening plot line. When he is exposed, he plays this otherworldly and very confused new comer to the planet incredibly well. Reeves has a wonderful way of using very little dialogue and a very plain expression in such a way that you are completely engaged with the character. The remainder of the cast include stepmother and son (Jennifer Connelly and Jaden Smith) as part of a fragmented family, something new to the screen yet so common in reality.
There is a remarkable amount of bonus footage on this DVD. From deleted scenes and commentaries to ‘Re-imaging The Day‘, ‘Unleashing Gort‘, discussing about other civilisations and extraterrestrial life and helping to save the planet. The Day The Earth Stood Still keeps you on the edge of your seat and is a film that really gets the brain boggling regarding ways in which you can save Earth from destruction; it’s never too late to do your part.
Michelle Moore