The trouble with a remake of a movie that automatically gets tagged a 'classic' is that comparisons can't ever really give audiences a clear sense of the relative merits and demerits of the original versus version two-point-oh. The first movie was released in 1951 so it should be sufficient to state that the direction our imaginations have taken in the 57 years between the two versions of the movie, based on a short story by Harry Bates, have changed a little.
The new movie opens in the year 1928, solely for the purpose of defining the origins of the creature known as Klaatu, played here by Keanu Reeves, as a semi-robotic alien-in-a-human-body who returns to present day Earth, in order to save the planet. Though it may not be immediately obvious, that noble intention doesn't bode well for mankind.
The human element in the film is provided by scientist Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) and her stepson Jacob (Jaden Smith; that's right, Will Smith's son) who have their own tug of war going on inside the skin of this thriller about visitors from outer space.
Except that the film is not all that thrilling. There are no massive set-pieces like there were in Independence Day, Armageddon or even Transformers and beyond a point, it's not that exciting to watch the disappearance of giant stadiums and entire cities in an evaporating mist that looks like a cross between a plague and that puff of smoke from the television series Lost. Also, on many levels it is hard to argue with what the alien and his gigantic robot are here to do.
The performances consist of Reeves being robotic, Connelly being serious (while looking like she's trying hard not to laugh) and Smith being petulant (and a little annoying).
All of which adds up to a pity because this movie will probably not enjoy a large audience and it is important for mankind to be reminded of the point of this cautionary tale. Too bad the message gets lost in the fog of iffy special effects and one-note performances.
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