The Day the Earth Stood Still

"It ain't the 50s no more, thank God, so here's your shiny new remake of the apocalyptic sci-fi cult classic just in time for Christmas. Keanu Reeves is Klaatu, a mysterious being from a far off intergalactic location who may know something about those strange orbs that are popping up all over the face of the earth. If he does, it'll be Jennifer Connelly as astro-biologist Helen Benson who gets to the bottom of any potential alien invasions."

"This botched remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" seriously dishonors the seriously fine 1951 sci-fi landmark on which it's based."

"Surprise! The remake is not a heresy. It's a decent enough stab at being what the old movie was to its time, following the same basic plot, full of respectful references to its model, updated with a gallery of fairly imaginative special effects."

"A jumble of spare parts and leftover dialogue, as if it had been assembled out of unused bits of every movie where an unknown whatzit threatens our way of life and the government goes into full institutional pants-crapping panic mode."

"All this is presented in an expensive, good-looking film that is well-made by Scott Derrickson, but to no avail."

"Steer well clear and rent the original instead."

"This contemporary remake of the science-fiction classic knew what it was doing when it cast Keanu Reeves, the movies' greatest stone face since Buster Keaton."

"A remake that does not disgrace the original, this is sufficiently different to stand alone and just as relevant in its concerns – as well as succeeding (arguably better) as a thriller. And after this performance, are we sure that Keanu Reeves is really human?"

"It's rubbish."