Keanu Reeves starred in a critically-panned sci-fi epic in 2008 that remade one of the most influential and significant alien invasion movies of all time. 57 years after it was first adapted for the screen, Harry Bates’ iconic sci-fi short story Farewell to the Master from 1940 was brought back to life by 20th Century Fox and director Scott Derrickson. The lead role brought to life by Michael Rennie in 1951 was played by Keanu Reeves in ’08, but even Reeves—one of the most beloved actors in history—couldn’t save this remake.
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Over the years, Keanu Reeves has been the star of a number of movie remakes and reboots, including The Lake House and Knock Knock, among others. Surprisingly, none of these remakes have performed as well as hoped, and another of the most notable remakes Reeves has starred in went in the same direction. With an approval rating of only 28% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Day the Earth Stood Still from December 12, 2008, was a disappointing reinterpretation of the iconic 1951 original by Robert Wise, although it had all the ingredients to become a sci-fi masterpiece in its own right.
Why 2008’s The Day the Earth Stood Still Was So Disappointing
One of the benefits of remaking The Day the Earth Stood Still in 2008 was that modern-day special effects, CGI, and visual techniques could be implemented to bring this extraterrestrial adventure to life. In this way, Scott Derrickson’s remake excelled, breathing new life into Klaatu’s (Reeves) arrival on Earth and his attempts to change human behavior to save the world from environmental degradation. However, you can have too much of a good thing, and The Day the Earth Stood Still put flash before substance, focusing too much on special effects and pushing character development and heart to the side.
The original 1951 movie was set during the Cold War during the early stages of the nuclear arms race, giving it a special and haunting significance in the zeitgeist. In 2008, however, while an environmental message is certainly important, this dilution didn’t have the same impact on audiences. The Day the Earth Stood Still in 1951 pulled heartstrings and opened eyes, telling a Cold War story through the eyes of an outside alien and the robot that accompanies him, but Derrickson’s 2008 movie failed to grab us in the same way.
Too much stock was put in trying to make The Day the Earth Stood Still a blockbuster hit, with nonsensical changes to the original story, overwhelming special effects, and distractingly-overacted performances. There is so much weight in the tale of an alien coming to Earth to give humanity an important message—change your ways or die—but the 2008 movie failed to deliver this thought-provoking and transformative message in any meaningful way. We love Keanu Reeves, but not even he was enough to save The Day the Earth Stood Still.
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Cover art from the back of the Ultima Online CD jewel case.
