The Day the Earth Stood Still

Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) comes home from lecturing on microbiology, argues with her stepson Jacob (Jaden Smith) and hears a knock on the door. Outside, the street is swarming with helicopters, black cars and people in suits yelling at her. She is swiftly abducted and taken to a secret institute where other like-minded scientists have been gathered. Stripped of all communication devices to the outside world, they form an emergency panel brought together to advise on something very big and very fast that is approaching the Earth.

All attempts to stop its approach fail but the object slows down as it nears the planet. All eyes gaze skyward as a gleaming bright orb of energy descends from the heavens and lands in Central Park. Helen Benson is there shielding her eyes; nobody knows what will happen; everybody is scared but nobody moves. A figure begins to emerge from the light and slowly walk into view until the tiniest of human movements changes everything: the pull of a trigger.

This remake of the 1951 classic is a little different from the original as it talks more about contemporary issues and the way we see ourselves as a species. Keanu Reeves plays Klaatu, managing to be both otherworldly yet inside a human body. Will Smith's son, Jaden, is well cast as the wayward stepson and actually makes the human elements of this film quite refreshing.

The real star of this film though is the giant robot, ‘Gort’. Incredibly sleek in its design, it represents a huge upgrade from the original film and elegantly conveys mystery and absolute superiority. Generally the CGI is pretty outstanding, providing the sense of wonder and peril to make this a film for both the fans and enemies of the human race.

Nick Grills