Keanu Reeves is Excellent in "The Day the Earth Stood Still" 2008 Remake Film Version

This is an "excellent" film for all you sci-fi freaks! However, if your really NOT into science fiction films, I would personally NOT recommend viewing this film in theaters and paying the high price of an admission ticket. Simply because it is100% science fiction during the entire film and nothing less than expected.

If you enjoyed the new 2008 X-Files movie "I want to believe" you will most likely enjoy this 2008 remake film called "The Day the Earth Stood Still" because of the weird meanings and sometimes "corny plots" that sci-fi movies seem to project for paying viewers. Unfortunately, film critics have given this film a C+ rating which I totally disagree with probably because they were NEVER sci-fi freaks to begin with.

Keanu Reeves plays the incredible and amazing part as Klaatu (originally played by Michael Reenie in the 1951 version) the alien being whom's human body was taken over in 1928 during a mountain climbing expedition during this 2008 remake shown in the beginning of the film which made many viewers curious about what is going to happen next?

However, for some odd reason did not show up until today's date and history in his space craft that portrayed the round clouded planet earth and all other "non-threatining" similar earth globes arising in the sky all over the planet because they are ironically trying too show us something about earth and it's human being destruction each and every century.

The film tries to stay on the original film version given the fact that Klaatu is military gun shot while emerging and walking down this long slide from his space craft after landing on earth and later on taken to a nearby hospital where they revive him as taken from the original film. "Gort" the gigantic robot, which is about 100 hundred times taller than the original film, still seems to be in command and protective of their space ship that has landed here on earth in New York's central park.

As usual in most sci-fi films, the U.S. State of Defense department head Regina Jackson (Kathy Bates) tries to stop "Gort" from creating any panic and destruction to the planet, but her ideas seem to fail, because she orders total destruction of this space ship and "Gort" by sending aircraft and missiles to the site which seem to fail with absolutely incredible special effects or FX as shown by movie producers of this film.

Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) states in an interview with the local police and legal federal authorities that he has "come to save the planet earth?" Which means that his intergallactic partners on other planets have decided to play God with the universe and the human race is NOT worthy of this particular planet we call earth because of ecological and destructive decending issues.

In other words, he or whatever this alien being has came to earth to DESTROY all human life and any creation they may have started. The film portrays "nanites" which is similar to locust used in the film "Mummies" to completely destroy the earth. In this particular sci-fi film they are shown as metallic insects with wings which destroy everything in site and conflict's with the meaning of the story to begin with. "I'm lost because they were here to destroy human life and not everything on the surface of the planet?"

Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) and her black stepson try their best to work with Klaatu to resolve this problem that human beings are worthy of this planet and should be allowed to continue in this universe. Klaatu finally realizes, as usual in most sci-fi films, that she is right after seeing her pain and suffering that human beings "deserve a chance in life" and finally disappears up into the earth's atmosphere and are long gone.

The story in this film is kind of "cheesey" but has excellent special sci-fi effects and it was good to see Keanu Reeves play a different role in his career at this time and date in history. Movie goers and even film critics should appreciate the fact that he has taken this time in his life to make this kind of film.

Keanu may have accepted this role because it reminded him of his earlier days as "Bill and Ted's excellent adventure" No matter what happens. Keanu looked great in this film and up to physical shape, drug free and happy to play this part, even tho he never smiled during this film.

Thanks for reading,

Phillip Chambley.