director: Scott Derrickson
writer: David Scarpa (Screenplay), Harry Bates (Story)
starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly
genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Remake
Here is one of the obvious films to be remade. The original is a sci-fi classic, but what I cant understand is how with such a great plot did they mess it up so bad. The film is remade into modern times with ecstatic special effects and an with intelligent script could be have made to be an intriguing and entertaining experience. Sadly we only get effects, clichés and unnecessary mopey moments that drag the film on and on.
The story starts out with some of the nation’s best scientists being called out immediately to face an unknown threat and make a survival plan with imminent catastrophe of earth glooming ahead. Are eyes are on scientist Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connolly) and we see the events through her life and how she’s trying to maintain a simple life with her step son Jacob (Jaden Smith). The threat revealed to be a sphere gently lands in Central Park. Greeted by the scientists and military a being comes out of the sphere in a moment of fear and panic they shoot him. The large robot activates and proceeds to disrupt all electrical systems in the city of New York, including many of the defense systems that the military has mustered in a perimeter around the spaceship. Before it can do any further damage, the being orders it to shut down. The being is later on is revealed to be Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) and his mission is to inform humanity of its end to come for they are the reason the planet is dying and for only way for this planet to survive is for humanity to be extinct. The film then continues with Dr. Benson trying to convince Klaatu to change his mind and give humanity another chance. In the meantime humanity does its best to stop militarily the giant robot Gort who is the weapon. With all this escalation we get some enormous and beautiful special effects. Sad to say all this is not so interesting. We all know what’s going to happen. Sad to say this remake changes only the reason why the aliens came and adds stupid sentimentality.
We are talking of remake here. First we have to ask ourselves was there a point to make this film? Not really. But though being made could it have been better? Yes. Lately there been a trend of environmentally friendly films. Not that’s a bad thing but not necessary when they have it only there so they can play it eco-friendly and never substantiate on it to make a pretty point or two. Here David Koepp is responsible for script which is the film biggest problem. He has had hit and misses for years and here didn’t try to give any meaning to scenes as with environment as ive mentioned or with the important dramatic scenes. For example like Dr. Benson and her stepson, there problem of living with out their loved one. It’s a subplot that drags the film down when we never get to care for a kid who constantly whines and the audience is begging for the alien to kill him.
Let me say a little of what the film does well. The special effects are astounding. Great work on the sphere, and on the robot “Gort”. The effects lift up the film and make it at least a beautiful movie to see. The acting is not bad. Everybody plays there part till what’s needed. Even Keanu Reeves who in my opinion was a good choice for the role but needed more lines. Yes it’s cool for Klaatu to be enigmatic and mysterious but when he needs to talk let him the original did why cant the remake. There were moments where it was needed for him to connect with his new environment. In the original they accomplished that with the kid. The remake instead lets a subplot take more time then its more interesting leading character.
Let me just say this film didn’t make me stand still. As with so many other films there was no need for a remake on this one. The original is a sci-fi classic and the remake is just a special effects film that throws cute rhetoric about the environment so it can be meaningful even though it was made for name value recognition to make bank. What a wonderful place Hollywood is where every 50 years you can see the same film again and again with new special effects.
Personal Rating:
Review by Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment