ROTTEN TOMATOES: The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still - Director's Visual Companion

Scott Derrickson shares an exclusive look inside the event movie.

by Joe Utichi | December 10, 2008

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Starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, director Scott Derrickson's The Day the Earth Stood Still, which opens in cinemas this weekend, is a frenetic and spectacular remake of a 1951 classic about an alien who comes to Earth bent on wiping humanity from the face of the planet before we have a chance to destroy it. Presenting a gallery of stills from the film, Derrickson explains why the time was right to bring the story back to the big screen, why Keanu Reeves makes the perfect alien, and why Jennifer Connelly is mankind's ultimate saviour.

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(1-19 of 19 posts) | Reply

stevegilpin writes:
on Dec 10 2008 08:44 AM

Director Scott Derrickson seems like a very open-minded dude with a great knowledge of what it takes to make a movie. However, I'm still skeptical about whether this movie will be good. So far, only one (negative) review has come in, and the movie opens in two days! Not necessarily a bad sign, but also not a good sign, either. This seems to me like a good movie to rent when it comes out on DVD. I heard the special effects leave a little to be desired. Oh, well.

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rle4lunch writes:
on Dec 10 2008 08:49 AM

You know, Director's always do such a great job of selling their 'vision' in articles and interview's that it really gives you hope and a want to see a movie. I still have my doubts on this movie, as it looks like a Roland Emmerich film in the trailers. As with the other comment from stevegilpin on the reviews not being in yet, well, we all know what that means. I MAY see this movie this weekend as a time killer in-between Christmas shopping, but I just still don't know. The only thing the director got right (so far in my opinion) is casting Jennifer Connelly. She is beautiful and I've always liked her acting for some reason.

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reapermad writes:
on Dec 10 2008 09:09 AM

People need to lay off Keanu. He is a great actor and people definitely can't get past the "whoa dude" crap of the eighties. But, that was in like two movies, but if you look at his darker projects in the '80's and '90's you'll see a remarkable body of work. His best films for me are "River's Edge," "Permanent Record," "My Own Private Idaho." Those films spoke to me. I grew up enthralled in the realism of those films. LONG LIVE KEANU!

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Dec 10 2008 09:39 AM

In reply to this comment (#2176905)
Yeah she is a very good actress and is VERY good looking. I think this will be a rental for me unless reviews are kind. I want to see Doubt and Frost/Nixon this weekend and I think I may only have time for one of those. I just don't think this looks very good, I think it looks like a CGI infested meaningless sequel but it does have Jenifer Connely, Keanu Reeves, Kyle Chandler, and John Hamm so it could possibly be ok but unless I hear it is really good I will wait to rent. There are to many movie this christmas season, and I don't want to spend my time on dumb fun- the holidays are hectic enough.

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Panos K. writes:
on Dec 10 2008 09:55 AM

In Defence of Keanu. People do not pay attention to the fact that Keanu is very charismatic actor and just a few actors could play the roles he did without looking ridiculous.

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Jay W. writes:
on Dec 10 2008 10:36 AM

In reply to this comment (#2176892)
Dude, homey. Chill...... It is ONE review.

"However, I'm still skeptical about whether this movie will be good. So far, only one (negative) review has come in, and the movie opens in two days! Not necessarily a bad sign, but also not a good sign, either."

It's ONE review. ONE REVIEW. Thanks for pointing out the obvious. That it is neither a good nor bad sign.

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harrismonkey writes:
on Dec 10 2008 12:08 PM

"It's ONE review. ONE REVIEW. Thanks for pointing out the obvious. That it is neither a good nor bad sign. "

I think his point is more that they seem to be hiding it from critics which 8.5 out of 10 times is a VERY BAD sign.

But there is still that 1.5 times when that's not what it means. Maybe we'll get lucky. I'd like this to be good (although I'm doubtful).

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rodge d. writes:
on Dec 10 2008 01:42 PM

In reply to this comment (#2176931)
well said. he has starred in some of the most cinematic and progressive films of the past 20 years in my opinion.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Dec 10 2008 02:29 PM

In reply to this comment (#2176931)
Yeah he is a good actor that gets a bit too much crap, just about every actor makes more bad movies then good ones but Keanu's bad ones tend to be big studio movies so it gets more publicised I think. I mean go watch The Matrix and A Scanner Darkly those are great, I always felt Constantine was a strong movie and he was very good as John Constantine, he was a good baddy in The Gift, and say what you will about Speed and Point Break but those are fun popcorn movies. Also I don't blame him for his acting in The Matrix sequels, they were just poor scripts and just poor acting directing. I really wish he would F^cking make Constantine 2 soon!

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Dec 10 2008 02:30 PM

In reply to this comment (#2176931)
This is totally off topic, but REAPERMAD could u please change you photo icon, it just freaks me out man.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Dec 10 2008 04:53 PM

For the dudes on this page who keep sayin Jennifer Connelly is so good looking, she's not. Even Tina Fey looks better. Want to see good looking women, go see "The Spirit", I know I will, (and the fact that it's the film adaption of one of the best hero's of comic history.)

As for Keanu Reeves, I heard he was happy to play Klaatu because Klaatu is a better name then Keanu. Okay, okay, I couldn't avoid that joke.

Now I love the orginal "The Day the Earth Stood Still", and I'd rent this, but I've got worries about the new one. For one, Reeves is a lunk of a actor who manages to get in big blockbusters, so this will be no different as far as his performane goes because now being an alien gives him an excuse for being emotionless. And yes, I've seen "The Matrix", one of the greatest films of all time, even though Reeves was only okay. (Fishburne was very good, and Hugo Weaving was great.) Secondly, the films ads show it deviating to much from the orginal. I don't wanna sound like a snob, and I will, but if it dosen't keep the orginals message, it will be crap. And the orginal Klaatu didn't at emotionaless, strange yes, but likable. I found Klaatu with the kid named Bobby to be very charming. There is one good thing I can say the film is doing right, and that's keeping Gort, one of the best movie robots evah, is having the same appearence as the orginal. Good job. Now I know I sound like a total snob, but it looks like a different but lifeless film. As David Edelstein says, remakes have to do their own thing while keeping the heart of the orginal.

Good Remakes- King Kong-(2005), Charlie and the Choclate Factory-(2005), The Office (US version)-(2005)

Bad remakes- The Invasion-(2007), War of the Worlds-(2005) (remake of the radio broadcast, not the 50's film), King Kong-(1976)

Man, there were a lot of remakes in 2005.

Lastly, reapermad, that picture is creepy, good job.

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Oblivioncry writes:
on Dec 10 2008 06:40 PM

@ledwag, do you even read more then one comment??

the matrix isnt the film where keanu reeves shines as an actor, its totally not. films like my own private idaho, the gift, a scanner darkly and even constantine is where his acting is obviously great.

and connelly IS hot, there are diffrent degrees of hot, each his own taste dude...saying someone isnt hot, just coz you think so, doesnt make it fact, duh

anyway i guess the film will be disappointing, but still fun and a good time killer to rent.

and yeah, constantine 2 please ;)

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Dec 10 2008 10:04 PM

Okay, I said she's not hot, I didn't say it was a fact. Sheesh!
And as for "Constatine", he did okay. But the rest the film was mediocre, they should try again in two decades calling it "Hellblazer."

As a matter of fact, Jennifer Connelly is on Conan O'Brien right now as I write this... I'm sorry, I just don't see the appeal. Dat girl needs to pluck dem eyebrows.

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reapermad writes:
on Dec 11 2008 08:19 AM

To all you who are bitching about my photo. It's a photoshop thing I did for class at The Art Institute. Art isn't supposed to be safe y'all.

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Oblivioncry writes:
on Dec 11 2008 08:48 AM

well i really like the photo ;) i was even about to ask where you got/made it ^^

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tinyneo writes:
on Dec 12 2008 01:14 AM

Big budget movies still using children to write their story lines. While I would say it is generally entertaining, it is also somewhat flat. If you have been watching the TV series Catasrophe, with snow ball earth and massive lava flows wiping out much of life, well figuring out how man is killing earth is a little hard. So... I would suggest in the scene where he is interrogated, you bluff that he has told them that he is going to destroy everyone. Then at the end, you can put in the twist, she gets infected, leaves her child to help him reach his ship, and then he tells her before they both die, that he was not sent here to destory Earth, but to try help us realise that they are out there, and we are currently on the precipice of destorying ourselves.

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rle4lunch writes:
on Dec 12 2008 09:26 AM

In reply to this comment (#2177322)
King Kong remake was alright, but Charlie and the Chocolate Factor was just plain awful. Johnny Depp phoned in his role in that movie. It was neither fun or creative to watch bad CGI and special effects with the terrible oompa loompa idiot and the stupid scenarios that the kids went through.

Worst Remake, Ever.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Dec 12 2008 03:54 PM

King Kong was more than alright, it was great. Best of the year.

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Paul N. writes:
on Dec 15 2008 10:43 AM

Hey, This Movie SUX! I walked out and demanded a refund. If I want to be Preached to I will go to church.

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