If you are the least bit intelligent, are not expecting an alien shoot-em-up movie and have an open mind, this will be one of the best movies of the year. Unfortunately, 1% of America actually fit these criteria…
As I am reading more and more reviews and talking to more and more people, I am quickly realizing that “The Day the Earth Stood Still” is extremely misunderstood and viewers have no idea what is actually happening, nor what “The Day the Earth Stood Still” truly tried to convey. This leaves me with a little bit of a dilemma because I obviously will not give away any spoilers, nor will I try to clarify any discrepancies because, again, it may take away from someone’s experience. With that said, if you saw the movie and still have questions, email me. Otherwise, like most reviews, I will highlight the premise, acting, pros and cons. Based off of the 1951 original, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” takes place in New York, where a Princeton professor, Jennifer Connelly, quickly learns that an asteroid on a collision course with Earth is actually an alien orb. After studying the alien, played by Keanu Reeves, she develops an initial rapport with him and realizes she is mankind’s only hope to survive.
This is actually one of the few films were everything comes together perfectly. It was the role Keanu Reeves was born to play, while being terrifically supported by Jennifer Connelly. The script, story line and CGI were all top-notch as “The Day the Earth Stood Still” delivered flawlessly in each category. However, the only downfall of the movie, and it is really more of a flaw in society than in the movie, is the fact that it may just be a little too hard to comprehend for most. For instance, before I saw the movie, I had an entirely different understanding of the definition of the title, as opposed to its meaning I perceived after I saw it. And by no means is this a bad thing. “The Day the Earth Stood Still” is extremely thought-provoking and if those types of movies intrigue you, you are in for a treat.
As I said before, you have to have an extremely open mind to truly appreciate “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” If you come into this movie as a bureaucrat, I guarantee you that you will be disappointed. Do not listen to all of the nay-sayers and critics that simply say that “all they do is walk around.” These are the exact opposite kinds of people that I mention in the bold summary. However, if you want to have a mind-stimulating ninety minutes that will actually cause you to think outside of the box, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” will quickly become one of your favorites of 2008.
