Review The Day the Earth Stood Still
20th Century Fox
Year: 2008
Run time: 104 Minutes
Rated: PG-13
Street Date: April 7, 2009 (Blu-ray)
Review by: Randy Sluganski

This high-tech remake of the 1951 classic has some eye-popping special effects and also some of the most miscast actors to ever appear in a sci-fi film.

Kathy Bates as the Secretary of Defense is totally unbelievable, Jennifer Connelly in the original Patricia Neal role seems to be here only for the eye candy and Jaden Smith – Will & Pinkett Smith’s son – is truly annoying. But it is Keanu Reeves as the alien Klaatu whom the movie depends on the most, but he just can’t pull this one off. It’s not that his interpretation of the character is poorly acted, but more that everyone in this movie seems to be out-of-sync with each other. It doesn’t help matters that it is never made clear exactly why Klaatu is determined to destroy Earth and I found the opening scene of the movie – set some 80 years earlier – to be incomprehensible as regards any explanation as to the objectives of the aliens.

I’m not one of those who believes that old movies can’t be remade better – and to be sure the special effects are spectacular as is the new and improved Gort – it’s just that sometimes more is less or in the case of the original, less was more.

Blu-ray Special Features:

• Commentary by Screenwriter David Scarpa - The usual everyone was great shtick.
• Klaatu's Unseen Artifacts - A picture-in-picture track to enhance the viewing experience.
• Build Your Own Gort - Mix and match head, torso, arms and legs to create your own Gort. More fun than the movie!
• Deleted Scenes - A total of only three deleted/extended scenes from the movie.
• Re-Imagining the Day - Trying to live up to the expectations of the fans of the first film.
• Unleashing Gort - Visualizing and designing a new Gort. It's amazing how much time was wasted only to return to the original design, albeit a much larger Gort.
• Watching the Skies: In Search of Extraterrestrial Life - Life on other planets (cue the ominous music here)?
• The Day the Earth was Green - How production was environmentally correct and carbon-neutral.
• Still Galleries - Concept art, storyboards and production photos.
• Theatrical Trailer - In HD, no less.
• Digital Copy of The Day the Earth Stood Still - For portable media players.
• Original 1951 Movie on Blu-Ray - If you want to relive the black-and-white experience.