The Day the Earth Stood Still (DVD)

I was actually intrigued by the idea of aliens coming to earth to save the planet from its unappreciative human inhabitants, but I found much of this film to be a chore to watch. In many of the reviews I’ve read across the web, The Day the Earth Stood Still had been compared to its 1951 predecessor directed by Robert Wise. Having never seen the original, I had hoped to watch this film without bias and/or prejudice, but by its midpoint I understood why it received such poor ratings.

My first reaction after screening the film was that it definitely could have been done alot better. It actually started off quite well and maintained a sort of mystique and sense of wonder until the initial human contact with extraterrestrial life. From there it completely loses its credibility. There were just so many things wrong with this film. The character development was non existent, the plot was filled with many holes, and the ending was completely bland and uneventful.

In comparison, this film distinctly reminds of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening. Shyamalan’s attempt at environmental awareness was quite admirable, but the film itself was just mediocre at best. Thats the best way I can describe this remake. One thing The Day the Earth Stood Still definitely reaffirms is this : All the special effects in the world can never replace good logic and excellent character development and dialogue. Just ask all the fans of the 1951 version.