Every year, Hollywood releases a generic group of films that are aimed at a certain audience. Usually in January in February, you get your generic dance film. The next month or two, you get your "athlete overcomes tremendous adversity" film. The athlete's obstacle can either be one of personal tragedy, racism, or overcoming incredible odds. Then, usually in the late spring or early summer, you got your alien invasion or apocalyptic film. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is this year's combination of your incredibly generic alien invasion film AND apocalyptic film.
"The Day the Earth Stood Still" stars Keanu Reeves as Neo - I mean, Klaatu - an alien sent here to save Earth. The same empty and expressionless "style of acting" that Reeves has used so many times before is yet again his "go to move" in this film. He arrives in some sort of giant alien snow globe, accompanied by something that can only be describes as equal parts Iron Giant, Iron Man, and Cyclops from "X-Men." As usual, Reeves gives very little, if any, information on why he has arrived on Earth. After all, his face says more than enough, right? Jennifer Connelly co-stars as Dr. Helen Benson, someone the government inexplicably finds qualified to figure out why Klaatu is here.
Klaatu, against all common sense and logic, is taken to a secret government facility for interrogation. Here, he meets with the Secretary of Defense, Regina Jackson, played by Kathy Bates. Once Jackson realizes her primary method of bullying and intimidation doesn't seem to work on aliens, she moves on to the next logical step: drugging him and hooking him up to a lie detector machine. Brilliant. After Klaatu escapes, he somehow gets detained at a train or bus station, picked up by Dr. Benson, and meets with another alien to discuss the future of the Earth at McDonald's. You can't make this stuff up.
Clearly, this film's story is not worth discussing. It's a bad film, plain and simple. Any cliché character or story point is utilized, poorly, in this film. Kathy Bates plays your customary generic authority figure on a power trip who refuses to listen to logic and stubbornly sticks to own agenda, despite all evidence she should do otherwise. Will Smith's son, Jaden, plays the typical rebellious and disobedient kid who resents everything and everyone because his father has passed. He thinks he knows everything, and risks everyone's lives because he's stubborn.
The film is predictable, and the people make stupid and illogical decisions. Seriously, what purpose was there behind shooting Klaatu as soon as he emerged from his snow globe? Who would do that? He hasn't even posed a threat, unless "walking" can be perceived as threatening. Just like every generic disaster movie, all the characters are complete idiots who are incapable of seeing or doing the obvious, and continually put themselves at risk for no discernable reason. Finally, this film reeks of blatant product placement. Microsoft, LG, McDonald's, some watch company ... they're all present in this film, and you will NOT miss them. So in addition to watching a bad film, when it takes breaks from sucking, you have to watch commercials too?!?!?
Don't go see this movie. You'd be better served watching your paint dry or, God forbid, watching a Jack Black movie. This film has absolutely no redeeming qualities. The makers of this film thought so little of us, the audience, they didn't even compensate for the film's countless flaws by throwing in a nude scene or two. Don't support these selfish filmmakers by giving them your $10. Your world will stand still for an hour and a half if you see this film.
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