The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still (***)

It contains spoilers.

After seeing its trailer, with all the special effects, known actors and terrific soundtrack, I was convinced I would love this movie.

It does have a very interesting point of view – this is not our planet. It should make you think about how badly you´re destroying this innocent green and blue Earth and that we should rethink our lifestyle and priorities if we intend on keep living. Problem is, yes, we should rethink what we´re doing, but how are we supposed to change it? The movie is of no help in that matter, it just thriggers guilt.

However, before we begin to remember all of mankind attrocities, we are shown just how destructive and violent we really are. Much in a The Host way, I must add. Isn´t it shocking how when an enourmous globe of shiny allien gas appears in Central Park the first thing we see are dozens of armed men and women, aiming at it? Even more astonishing: when an allien life-form comes walking out of that big sphere and almost shakes hand with the pretty human astrobiologist we shoot at it? We get this close to knowing for sure that we are not alone in the universe and before any hostile action we shoot at it??

And, though I have lapsed into using the pronoun “it”, after it takes a human form and speaks English, he´s a “he” not a “it”. (Which is one of those details that brought me to swear out loud in The Host and this movie and pretty much any other fiction on Alliens I´ve known.) Another interesting non-Let´s-save-the-Earth aspect is that even though it is an American production, it´s got some nice criticism concerning the Americans´ rather egocentric mind – clear on the dialog between K- and the U.S. Secretary of Defense when he asks her if she speaks for the entire human race.

The story rolls in an odd rhythm, things are happening to the world, some people are concerned, others relieved, but it seems that the allien is pretty easily convinced of the other side of the humans´ destructive behavior. He leaves. The only people who know they have to change the human attitute towards the planet are Helen (an important professor but not what I would call influent on global affairs), Jacob (the boy whose biological parents are dead and who is incredibly merceless regarding the allien and surprisingly merceful regarding the human annoying cop), the Nobel prize winner (let´s cross our fingers), and the possibly dead scientist who works for the government (and who was threatened to be replaced should he not oblige to the President´s orders). So much for change...

Overall, interesting idea, beautifully shot, virtually soundtrack-less, good dialogs, and no conclusion or further insight what-so-ever.

January 14^th, 2009