Here we have yet another trailer for The Day the Earth Stood Still starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly. Screen Rant has quite a history for this up coming sci-fi remake of the 1951 classic of the same name so check out our previous posts on this film if you’re interested.
If you want to see the earlier trailers before watching this new one, check out the very first trailer which I really dug. You’ll see alot of repeat scenes but each trailer shows off some new footage. Next, from one of the first articles I wrote here, we have a full 7-minute preview which debuted mid-September alongside the encore broadcast of the Fringe premiere. That second video completely changed my mind and expectations on the film from good to bad.
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Now, we are presented with yet another long trailer: 5 minutes long to be exact. The verdict?
Meh.
It is a huge improvement on the 7 minute preview but I’m getting a very strong feeling that 20th Century Fox thinks their own film is not good and are trying hard to over-market it.
Before I go on, watch for yourself:
This trailer has many of the cryptic and dark tones of the first trailer which I love, but much of the negative from the second as well. The one huge positive is finally seeing Gort in full-form doing his thing. His design pays homage to the original Gort but the CGI on him I think looks awful.
There are too many negatives going for me on this one, from the giant spheres and lights which I think look stupid and the way many of the scenes are set up. For example, the soldiers and hazmat-suited folk approaching the mysterious object and how they’re all widely separated for dramatic effect.
And then there’s the cast. We have Keanu as the lead role which speaks for itself, however in this case he obviously fits just by being himself (is that a positive or negative?). Then we have Kathy Bates and John Cleese which I can’t comprehend at all as to why they were cast. Seeing Bates in the trailer completely takes me out and I can’t imagine how I’m going to feel seeing Cleese on screen attempting to be serious. It all feels like a parody to me.
Also, the story of this film which we’ve discussed in full in previous threads is not a positive for me either. All in all, I do still have some interest in this flick but I am almost certain it will not be that great.
What do you think of the trailer? What’s your feeling about the movie based on what you’ve seen?
The Day the Earth Stood Still opens on December 12, 2008.
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42 Comments
This may not be as bad as you think. I mean, if I take your judgement on things, assume the worse-case, chances are good, it will actually be a good movie.
Hollywood is spitting on itself with these loosely based remakes and crappy sequels. This movie is bull to use that title.
I actually took a second to think about this whole concept and you know, it’s the wrong message. If an alien civilization can come here in such force, then it could solve our environmental problems for us!! It should have stayed with the original story. The production values are fine. I stick by my decision too, not to see it, Fox can suck on it.
I like what I’ve seen. Mankind is being handed it’s hat! The aliens have not come to fix our problems for us. They have decided its time to hit the reset button for the Earth. Cleese and Bates are talented actors and will most likely prove it with their performances in this film.
What I’m going to hate is the way film ends! We’ve all seen it: The messenger sees humanity in a personal perspective, looses sight of his mission, develops some soft spot in his heart (head/whatever), stands up to his own kind and saves us helpless earthlings AGAIN!!
Other than that, I expect it to be a good, maybe not great, movie.
Probably a rental. Not because it looks bad but because *GULP* the wife doesn’t … like … Sci-Fi. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
lol Ink,
@Draco,
by lowering expectations maybe we can all enjoy it more
@David,
I totally agree that Bates and Cleese are talented…at comedy.
It’s like Leslie Nielsen being in this film as a serious character, just looking at him makes it not serious. For me, I get the same feeling by seeing Bates in the trailer.
@David
LOL, yes, because the trees and flowers and insects are much more important than the human beings who inhabit the Earth.
Let’s see… save my daughter from certain death or a species from going extinct. Buh bye Mr Animal.
Vic
I’m still not sure if using this title is right, since the first film had a benevolent Klaatu and this one doesn’t; the first film had an alien who came to warn earth about their petty squabbles influencing other planets, this one has an alien coming to wipe us away because we’re screwing up the planet. I’ll still check it out but like Draco said, we might enjoy it since we’re lowering our expectations.
Um, Rob, Leslie Nielsen was a serious actor many years ago. He didn’t become a comedy icon until he appeared in Airplane in 1980, when he was in his 50s. In his younger days, he was classic leading-man material.
Also, since when is Kathy Bates a comedian? She’s done comic roles, sure, but does anyone remember her as Annie Wilkes in Misery? Definitely not funny there…
Not trying to start a fight or anything, just pointing out that many actors often get unfairly pigeonholed based on only one or two high-profile parts, and people tend to forget they’ve done other types of things.
As for this movie, I think I’ll pass. It appears to be another case of an unnecessary remake that completely misses the point of the original.
“Annie Wilkes in Misery”
One of the top 10 scariest movie characters EVER!
I quote the Joker in TDK when he saw what “The television” was proposing to the crime lords:
“Ha…Ho-Ho-Ho….Hee…Ha…Ho…Ha….haaa…And I thought MY jokes were bad…”
this looks good simply , i never saw the original Scott Dickerson can pull of a pretty good film here , i been a film historian for 30 yrs before all the wannabe jokers and this looks decent serious themes maby to much for dino heads . i personally did not like transformers michael bay is terrible there is more story to TDTESS so if you like transfromers than you probably won’t like this but thats why you can go see high school muscical 3 because studios dumb down films to reach there core audience…
@zeus
Well your HSM3 comments notwithstanding, if you hated Transformers you’ll fit in just fine here at Screen Rant.
Vic
The first bit of it, with the highway, etc., was a great, creepy set-up. Then it lost me. Besides, I basically saw the movie, which sucks because Hollywood cuts their trailers (short or long ones) as mini-versions of the movies they’re advertising. First act, second act and a montage of cuts for the third act.
I think I saw this first with Crimson Tide, back in 1995. Plus, this flick looks preachy as heck.
heath
They charge $12 for one person at the theater well if am going to pay i want my money’s worth and this looks like it is worth the money Keanu has done great films before and this looks like another to add to the box -set . maby the rest of you like to spend money seeing a taco dog in beverly hills but i want bang for my buck ,thanks
the graphics the jet plane crashing into the tank was shady but i’m sure there doing touch ups i hate when they make the sky look like nothing is going on put some clouds a couple of birds , overall this movie could reach a possible 3 out of 4 , the happening im sorry m night but that was crap this looks more entertaining think it could do decent box office i say over 100 mill domestic and possibly it will do better internatinal will be 200 mill
@ jade:
I forgot to mention that I think they still have to add in some final sound effects and mixing (the scene with all the guys in suits falling down), plus I always assume the FX we’re seeing in previews likely aren’t the final ones. Unless they say the movie’s locked and these are indeed the final FX. At that point, ugh.
One plot hole: when Keanu is controlling the guy, wouldn’t they rush in to grab him before he zaps everyone? Aren’t there always people monitoring these things (aliens notwithstanding)? I’m talking about police interrogations, etc.
heath
@ jason,
I’m referencing current times. My example was that if I saw Leslie Nielson in *this* movie I would get the same feelings I get for seeing Bates and Cleese.
I’m not sure that his prior-to-1980 films have any impact on that. Regardless of his career history, he’s typecast now.
Cleese is the comedian, Bates is more into the over-the-top roles. Either way, for me personally, I can’t buy them in serious roles – most especially in a darker-toned flick such as this. They stick out like a sore thumb (like she did in this trailer). Again, perhaps it’s just me. Maybe I’m also just being too picky, hehe
The scientific method while from a very, very primitive form can be traced to Egypt. It’s practical dating is only 2500 years old. With that in mind a intergalactic civilization would have had advanced further than us by at least a 30% if not 125% of what we know and use.
We know from the trailer that they are very good at genetic engineering. From Klatu’s own admission the human body was tailored for him to use for the mission. Given his other abilities as presented, I conclude it’s utterly preposterous that such a civilization would even need to come here in such force to eliminate humanity. A genetic or nanite construct could do the same thing.
Our own science think tanks have considered this as an option to prevent alien civs. from ever competing with our own. A far more likely scenario I would hope is that a Civ. advanced enough to come here have already experienced the horror of such a scenario, or have advanced socially as much as it has scientifically to find the idea abhorrent. Which might lead to a better option, of remotely influencing human development, to short circuit the process by which man, would be, enabled to survive his own inadequacies and failings. Done using the same process as described above to destroy us.
But all that has no high drama you say! Oh yea you’re so right. That’s why they should have stuck with the original message. It really didn’t need to be remade. A sequel perhaps to remind us, would have been less trite, and had a better reception.
hehe, good post old man
Sure, it looks cool and dramatic, but every time I watch footage from this and hear the line:
“If the human race dies, the Earth survives.”
I just shake my head in disbelief at the core concept of this movie.
Vic
Wouldn’t it be nice if you all actually
SAW the film before critiquing it?
Just a thought ….
T
@Thiz
(slaps forehead) Holy cow! I never thought of that!
I can voice my opinion on what I think of the concept of a movie before it airs. If I turn out to be wrong I’ll happily eat my words.
But if someone came up with an idea to remake “Casablanca” and have it take place in East LA with gang-bangers I’m pretty sure that would be a POS without even having laid eyes on a trailer.
Vic
Thiz, I can critique the trailer…
Rob Keyes, “hehe, good post old man”
Thank you!
I tried to limit my comment to only what has been officially released about the movie.
@old man
Ditto, Ditto, Ditto!!!
But I’ll see it anyway.
@Thiz
I remember liking the trailers for “Battlefield Earth” and was very bumped to see it. After seeing it, I wanted to shoot myself….or was it that I wanted to shoot the director? We’re just giving opinions based on what we see in trailers. Hopefully the final product is worth the $8.00 I’ll be spending.
everyone has a valid point but the finish product will be the answer .i just feel cloverfeild came out around the same time last year and to me with the shaky cam was dissapointing. battelfeild was doomed from the beggining because the scientology thing . but this film from Fox who has suffered some clunkers this year but this doesnt look like meet dave . personally scott dickerson is talanted his working on the birds and paradise lost , his come along way from hellraiser and emily rose to me after this film he might be one of the go to guys better than michael bay, i ‘ve read were he met the original director in film school and wants to bring justice to this film and keanu i have gotten tierd of other actors but keanu is like a plant every time i check it out it seems to grow some more so well see..
Working at the feet of Michael Bay attempting to rework another classic, “The Birds,” isn’t what I call a shining endorsement. More like the premise for a SCi Horror film.
Oh no Prof. Quatermass the Bay-monster is cloning itself!
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