"The Day the Earth Stood Still" isn't the worst of the new wave of environmental-catastrophe themed films to come out of Hollywood in 2008. That crown of thorns belongs to M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening," with its "You Deserve This!" billboard standing tall over terrified citizens. But this remake of the 1950s classic once again proves that there as many idiots on the political left as there are on the political right. The only difference between the two is that the leftist doesn't claim his or her asinine ideas come directly from a hateful God.
The original version of "Day" centers on an alien who comes to Earth to stop war and promote humanity. This version has an alien (Keanu Reeves of "The Matrix") coming to Earth to save the planet from a polluting, wasteful humanity. Slight difference.
Reeves' Klaatu is difficult to read: Whether killing (and then resurrecting) a police officer, watching whole cities be wiped away by tiny metallic alien gnats or watching a mother and son hug and weep, Reeves has the same blank expression of a stuffed deer. It grows old fast. The weeping mother (Jennifer Connelly of "A Beautiful Mind") is a scientist who takes it upon her self to alternately help Klaatu escape the U.S. military and convince the alien to spare humankind. The son (Jaden Smith of "The Pursuit of Happyness") is an orphan, who is far more trusting of TV and the military than his new mom.
Connelly sells brilliant better than almost any other actress her age. When she talks techno-babble or has command of a massive lab, you buy it without question. The visual effects provide goose bumps, too. The dozens of glowing extra-terrestrial spheres that invade Earth suggest Monet paintings come to swirling life. But, this film isn't about a great actress and great effects. It's about Hollywood banging the viewer over the head with the mantras of "don't pollute," "conserve," "give up technology" and "live frugal" in the guise of a sci-fi adventure. You know, the same Hollywood where most film budgets equal the annual GDP of many small countries. That's like taking lessons in peace and compassion from Dick Cheney.
The emotional ending of the ho-hum script, which never surprises and drags about quite a bit, aims for hope, but spells disaster if the viewer wishes to contemplate it for more than a minute. I get some environmental films, and love them, especially the stellar "WALL-E" with its unabashed hope and optimism. But humanity, the Earth itself, and especially myself might all be happier without this kind of soapbox preaching. After all, if everyone did give up technology -- then, by God, we wouldn't have any more movies. C
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