Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Review: 'Earth Stood Still' falls apart
CNN ^ | Fri December 12, 2008 | Tom Charity

Posted on 12/12/2008 6:50:28 PM PST by CE2949BB

(CNN) -- Call it the second coming.

Klaatu the spaceman first visited these parts in Robert Wise's 1951 Cold War classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still," when he threatened to blow us all up unless we stopped threatening to do the job for him.

Klaatu wasn't exactly greeted with open arms back then -- he was shot and hounded for his troubles -- and if the earth has moved on over the past half century, you wouldn't know it from the trigger-happy welcoming committee that surrounds his luminous snowball of a space craft in New York's Central Park.

Where sci-fi films in the 1950s used to see red(s), today they go green. Directed by Scott Derrickson ("The Exorcism of Emily Rose") and scripted by David Scarpa ("The Last Castle"), "The Day the Earth Stood Still" 2.0 ditches the Cold War theme. Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) means to save the planet, but war isn't the problem. Mankind is the problem.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: barf; earthstoodstill; environmentalism; hollyweird; movie; tdtess
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-97 next last
To: muawiyah
Special effects (manifest in their guise as 3D animation) will take over ALL acting.

Two words .... "Clark" and "Gable". 'nuff said!

61 posted on 12/12/2008 8:15:27 PM PST by The Duke (I have met the enemy, and he is named 'Apathy'!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: The Duke
We have him down pretty good it turns out, and I assure you he's ready for the ladies ~ and you never saw that did you.

These new characters can act better than the originals! They are also smarter, stronger, better built, and dress in only the latest fashions.

62 posted on 12/12/2008 8:17:07 PM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: CE2949BB

I regret watching this stupid movie today. Environmental stupidity, and Keanu Reeves was as appealing as a rotting fish.


63 posted on 12/12/2008 8:25:43 PM PST by Edward Watson (Fanatics with guns beat liberals with ideas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CE2949BB

I just saw it.. ugh.. Even on imax, it was a snoozer.

The last few minutes are your typical ‘mankind sucks, get rid of anything that uses energy and we’ll be reborn’ madness.

It has everything that’s wrong with modern movies today: preachy, PC, and keanu reeves.

There’s not even any decent action whatsoever. Half the movie is will smith’s kid and keanu walking around in the woods (it seemed). It wasn’t my idea to see it either. I’m already starting to forget most of it. After a few days I won’t remember a single thing.


64 posted on 12/12/2008 8:31:23 PM PST by MartinStyles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TXnMA

As far as I know, Benicio Del Toro is directing the Hobbit. Jackson’s out. IF it ever gets made that is, seems to be in limbo.


65 posted on 12/12/2008 8:38:43 PM PST by MartinStyles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: hinckley buzzard

The effects are bad too. Looked unfinished almost. No wonder they dumped this in December.


66 posted on 12/12/2008 8:39:21 PM PST by MartinStyles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Edward Watson

Only good thing.. I’m watching the original on Netflix instant over my tivo..

I just used about 1/5 of the product placements used in this movie.


67 posted on 12/12/2008 8:40:08 PM PST by MartinStyles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner
Everyone said "The day after tomorrow" sucked because of the global warming crap in it, but as a movie, it rocked.

Agreed. And I happen to like Dean Cain as an actor.

68 posted on 12/12/2008 8:42:26 PM PST by Hardastarboard (Why do I find the Toyota "Saved by Zero" ads so ironic?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: CE2949BB

Rottentomatoes.com is giving it a 29% rating, and they tend to eat up the enviro-crap movies, so I figured it must be REALLY bad!!


69 posted on 12/12/2008 8:59:38 PM PST by swatbuznik
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bobkk47

The remake of Night of the Living Dead was freakin great!


70 posted on 12/12/2008 9:13:32 PM PST by odin2008 (EVIL TRUMPHS WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Frank Sheed

Both Carols were very good. The 1951 Sims version was absolutely brilliant.


71 posted on 12/12/2008 9:35:12 PM PST by jimfree (Freep and ye shall find!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: kempo
If a movie has any politically correct content to it, such as man made global warming, I refuse to watch it.

What a purist you must be.

So tell me ... how do you know what's in it without watching it?

Are you psychic?

Do you rely on what critics say? That makes you a retard.

You base your likes / dislikes on current political content?

I thought only booger-eating spaz folks did that.

I guess you are one of those.

Enjoy those boogers, spaz-boy.

72 posted on 12/12/2008 9:36:44 PM PST by humblegunner (Where my PIE at, fool?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: CE2949BB

No imagination from those elitists


73 posted on 12/12/2008 9:51:53 PM PST by screaming eagle2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

http://www.southparkstudios.com/crap/dvds/cultofcartman/


74 posted on 12/12/2008 10:54:06 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: netmilsmom
My hubby said that (The Dark Knight's )so much better to watch at home because in the theater his muscles were taunt through the whole thing.

That tension thing was purposely built in by the composer to take advantage of modern theater sound systems. As soon as I detected it I recalled the early attempts at that with the 1970's "Earthquake" and "Midway". If you have a large screen television of recent make you can purchase a speaker set that recreates that theater sound very accurately. Even a movie as old as "The Empire Strikes Back" becomes a whole new experience when you're able to hear it as it was intended.

And what a grand husband you have. Making the rest of us look like schmucks...(grumble)

75 posted on 12/12/2008 11:03:51 PM PST by NewRomeTacitus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: ikka
If Keanu Reeeves were any more wooden he’d have Dutch Elm disease.

He was up for Pinocchio but couldn't handle the reanimated parts.

Seriously though, as an actor over half of his work has been in science fiction roles. I believe this is due to his looks drawing girls to buy tickets for films they usually wouldn't go to (see "Twilight") than any unique talent he has yet to reveal. While he seems to be a good fellow on his own I think he missed the bus on how he was being used to push the Green Agenda. George Carlin could have told him but...

76 posted on 12/12/2008 11:18:33 PM PST by NewRomeTacitus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: dragnet2
You can’t remake what was done right the first time

It is rare, I admit, but does happen.

The 2002 remake of The Time Machine, though very different than the 1960 production, was equally good.

OTOH, maybe remake Ben Hur, done as a series of flashbacks during the chariot race. Pounding hooves...flashback...pounding hooves, whipping other driver...flashback...keep repeating until the final clamatic footage at the end of the race!

I really shouldn't have said that; some Unholywood creepozoid might get ideas.

77 posted on 12/12/2008 11:30:17 PM PST by ApplegateRanch (The mob got President Barabbas; America got shafted)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner

Everyone said “The day after tomorrow” sucked because of the global warming crap in it, but as a movie, it rocked.......

I liked it too.
Maybe this one is up your alley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYmJrpupcdo


78 posted on 12/12/2008 11:38:55 PM PST by dennisw (Never bet on Islam! ::::: Never bet on a false prophet!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: CE2949BB

It’s no surprise that the movie is a bomb.
What IS surprising is that CNN allowed this review on its website. Those liberals must be gnashing their teeth.

Kudos to Tom Charity for having the guts and integrity to tell it like it is.
I’ll be interested to hear what Medved has to say.


79 posted on 12/13/2008 12:03:52 AM PST by Lancey Howard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MartinStyles; TXnMA
IF it ever gets made that is, seems to be in limbo.

The movies seem to be as firm as something can be this far ahead of time. It is not scheduled for filming to start until 2010, with main filming to run for over a year, followed by the very extensive special effects and other post production work. Theoretical release dates are Christmas 2011 and Christmas 2012. The theories about the second film are still fuzzy, but likely it will be set in the period between 'The Hobbit' and 'The Fellowship of the Ring'.

80 posted on 12/13/2008 12:26:05 AM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (Just because I am an Oogedy-Boogedy kind of guy!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-97 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson