THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

US, 2008, 103 minutes, Colour.
Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connolly, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, Jon Hamm, Robert Knepper, James Hong.
Directed by Scott Derrickson.

Almost sixty years ago, The Golden Globe awards had a special prize for a film Promoting International Understanding. The 1951 winner was the now classic science-fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still. This remake is called a 're-invention' – and it is again a film for fostering peace and encouraging the preservation of the planet's environment.

This screenplay acknowledges the script of the original and has many of the same plot elements. However, it is able to take advantage of the current cinema technology to create some striking effects, for a different kind of spacecraft, the initial appearance of the alien Klaatu, the destruction of trucks, Yankee Stadium and mysterious bugs which threaten all humans. But the effects do not dominate the plot and its message impressive though they be.

And this is a strong message film, a touch didactic at times. In the post World War II Cold War atmosphere, Klaatu came to Earth to warn against violence and aggression. For the 21st century, the aggression is taken for granted. As soon as an alien appears, the suspicions and paranoia mean that American defence forces open fire without time to question whether the alien might be friendly. This is the ethos of the Bush administration, embodied by Kathy Bates, the Secretary for Defence, a cross between Madeleine Albright, Condoleeza Rice and Hilary Clinton. And it is dramatised vigorously by weapons used against the spacecraft and the huge protective robot GORT which is now not just metallic but biological.

The aliens are critical of humans for their exploitation and destruction of the environment and judge that to save the world, humans must go.

However, it is the ordinary human experience that is important. While Keanu Reeves' Klaatu moves through the action somewhat robotically at first but, step by step, absorbing emotion and understanding, it is Jennifer Connolly's widowed scientist who brings the genuine human feeling and concern to the drama. With the words of her professor friend (John Cleese in a brief appearance) in mind that awareness of the need for change looms persuasively when people are standing on the precipice, she tries to persuade Klaatu that humans can change for the better. However, her stepson (Jaden Smith who appeared memorably with his father, Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness) embodies all the worst aspects of suspicion, violence, mistrust and aggression. It is through his experience and change of heart that audiences will appreciate the need for change.

The film is very audience-friendly, moves at a good pace, is more than a cut above formulaic science fiction and is a plea for environmental consciousness through an entertainment.

1.The classic status of the original? A reinvention for the 21st century?

2.The message, the original in the atmosphere of the Cold War, post-war reconstruction, the desire for peace? The contrast with 21st century aggression, wariness and suspicion, paranoia about outsiders, the destructive mode? The issue of the environment, recreating the Earth?

3.The locations, New Jersey, New York, Central Park, the ordinary? The contrast with the secret laboratories, headquarters? The special effects, the alien, especially shedding its skin? The space vehicles? The destruction? GORT? The attempts to destroy him? The musical score?

4.The introduction of the science, Helen and her class, astrobiology? At home, her relationship with Jacob? His absent father, the razor? His attitudes? The story about his father and Helen marrying him, his death? The phone call, Helen taken?

5.The speculation of the scientists in the plane, the officials, the secretary of defence, the situation, the evacuations from the cities? The various briefings? The decisions about handling the situation?

6.The sphere in Central Park, the approach, the bombardment? GORT and Klaatu? Helen approaching, the shooting? The laboratory, the shedding of the skin, the scientific tests? The alien emerging? His body? The background of the prologue in India, 1928, the experience of the sphere, the scientist? Taking his DNA and using it later? The issue of the injection, Helen substituting the injection? The escape?

7.Klaatu and the interrogation, detecting the truth? His warnings? The aliens, their civilisation, their judgment of humans? The spheres all round the world, collecting samples to save the Earth? The plan for the destruction of the humans? Klaatu and his wanting to speak to the leaders? This not being allowed?

8.The portrait of the forces, their shooting? The fear and evacuations? The sphere in Central Park? The colonel and his attempts at bombardments? The secretary for defence, in herself, connections with the president, being in charge, her speculations about the mission, the breaking through of the defence barriers and shields? Klaatu having no fear? Her realising that humans were the victims? The secrecy? Putting out the information for television that he was an escaped convict? The pursuit of Klaatu? Helen’s plea? The end of the secretary waiting for some answer?

9.Klaatu, Helen and Jacob? Jacob’s aggression, his father and Iraq, death? His issues with Helen? Antagonism towards Klaatu and suspicions? The phone calls, being with his neighbours? With Klaatu and Helen in the car? His advocating violence? Seeing the information on television, ringing the authorities, the helicopter pursuit? In the forest with Klaatu, the bridge and his slipping, his being saved? Learning? Taking Klaatu to the cemetery for his father’s grave, for the meeting with Helen?

10.The decision to visit the professor, his Nobel Prize background, the equation on the board, Klaatu correcting it? The discussions, the human situation, on the precipice – and people discovering honesty and truth on the precipice? The possibilities for some kind of change?

11.Klaatu, his gradually becoming more human? His meeting with the other alien, the alien and the language, speaking in English, his years on Earth, his family? His decision to stay on Earth even if Earth was destroyed? Klaatu and his decisions, the spheres and their disappearing and taking off? The puzzle about humanity?

12.Helen and her pleading, Klaatu listening, sharing humanity – and changing his mind?

13.The vision of hope despite environmental destruction? Science fiction and message?