Summary

Classic films like
The Day the Earth Stood Still
are iconic for a reason — attempting to modernize them may not always succeed.
Keanu Reeves’ remake of the beloved sci-fi staple fell short, failing to capture the magic of the original ’50s classic.
Hollywood’s trend of remaking revered classics shows that some iconic films are best left untouched, preserving their legacy.

Hollywood just can’t get enough of drawing upon established classic films for inspiration and giving them a modern-day makeover, with the results often being a bit…underwhelming. Despite all the technological advancements and dazzling special effects available at their fingertips, studios have a tough time replicating the magic, wonder, and legacy of these acclaimed staples.

While there are certainly some standout reimaginings like West Side Story and War of the Worlds, there are also plenty of less-than-brilliant remakes that have left a sour taste in the mouths of fans. In 2008, adored leading man Keanu Reeves starred in the blockbuster sci-fi spectacle The Day the Earth Stood Still, a remake of the influential and powerful 1951 original that fearlessly provided commentary on the Cold War and nuclear warfare. Despite becoming a commercial hit, the film was ripped apart by critics and further cemented the status and allure of the ’50s flick. Let’s take a look at why the revered classic is so well-regarded over 70 years later.

The Day the Earth Stood Still Is a Sci-Fi Classic

Based on the Harry Bates short story “Farewell to the Master,” the 1951 sci-fi extravaganza The Day the Earth Stood Still takes place during the Cold War in Washington D.C., where a mysterious UFO lands and the intergalactic ambassador Klaatu emerges with the powerful robot Gort to deliver a crucial message that will save the lives of all of humanity. The peace-seeking Klaatu wants to bring together the planet’s most brilliant and influential leaders, and on his quest to prevent the destruction of the world, the humanoid meets a young boy and single mother who gives him hope for the future of Earth.

Michael Rennie famously starred as the sophisticated and wise Klaatu, and the film’s director Robert Wise notably told the actor to portray the unforgettable role “with dignity but not with superiority.” Rennie appeared alongside Patricia Neal in the groundbreaking picture, with the silver screen starlet going on to earn acclaim for her work in films like A Face in the Crowd, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Hud. Lock Martin portrayed the robot Gort, who had previously worked as an usher at the popular Grauman’s Chinese Theater and stood at a jaw-dropping seven feet and seven inches tall. The Day the Earth Stood Still was a major career triumph for Wise, who would go on to helm future cinematic classics West Side Story and The Sound of Music.

The Day the Earth Stood Still Is an Inspiring & Visionary Masterpiece

Robert Wise went to painstaking lengths to ensure that the sci-fi spectacle was as believable and realistic as possible. He and the producers wanted to promote a “strong United Nations,” according to the New York Times, and bolster their admirable message that pushed back against the armed conflict plaguing the world at an uncertain time in history. The Day the Earth Stood Still proved to be a moderate success at the box office, earning $1,850,000 during its theatrical run and garnering praise for its innovative documentary style, powerful story, and spine-tingling suspense.

Related 14 Underrated Sci-Fi Movie Remakes That Deserve a Second Look These sci-fi remakes carry the essence of the source material while expanding on the themes present with new methods.

The legacy and overall impact of the thought-provoking film has only grown since its premiere over 70 years ago, being recognized by the American Film Institute in 1995 and being selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The Day the Earth Stood Still delivers a poignant metaphor about violence, pacifism, and the senseless brutality of war. Wise utilized the project to spread his own social commentary on the Cold War and its effects on society as a whole. The captivating classic has landed on numerous lists of the best science fiction films of all time, and many believe the ’50s flick even inspired former President Ronald Reagan to discuss the concept of uniting against an alien race with Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985.

The Day the Earth Stood Still dazzled both critics and moviegoers with its impressive special effects, unapologetic observation about nuclear war, and ominous atmosphere and visuals. The iconic phrase “Klaatu barada nikto” spoken in the trailblazing picture has been declared by the Robot Hall of Fame as “one of the most famous commands in science fiction,” with many scholars analyzing the hypothetical translation and meaning of the expression and speculating it is a fail-safe feature. The exceptional sci-fi staple currently holds a stellar 95% Rotten Tomatoes Score, with audiences also sharing a similar sentiment and awarding the film an 87% rating.

Keanu Reeves’ Underwhelming Remake Can’t Compete

57 years after the original sci-fi masterpiece made its phenomenal debut, The Day the Earth Stood Still received the Hollywood treatment and was remade by director Scott Derrikson, with beloved leading man Keanu Reeves taking over the role of Klaatu in the big screen reimagining. Instead of featuring the Cold War-era theme, the remake focused on environmental degradation and humanity’s negative impact on the planet. Reeves is joined by famous faces like Jennifer Connelly, John Cleese, and Kathy Bates in the film, with screenwriter David Scarpa feeling that the original picture was still incredibly relevant even decades later.

The remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still had a massive commercial impact but failed to pack the same punch with critics, with many deeming the film overwhelmingly inferior to the original and a subpar reimagining. Audiences gave the sci-fi movie a lackluster C- CinemaScore and despite its gorgeous special effects and sincere efforts to pay homage to the ’50s hit, The Day the Earth Stood Still couldn’t live up to the legacy of its predecessor. The Wall Street Journal wrote in their less-than-glowing review, “Where the original film was unpretentious, this version, with Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, is insufferably full of itself, an X-Files episode pumped up to pseudo-cosmic proportions.”

The Day the Earth Stood Still went on to gross over $233 million worldwide at the box office, but the lackluster reaction from moviegoers prevented the remake from ever being considered a cinematic success. The film was nominated for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel at the Razzie Awards (ultimately losing to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), and despite a valiant effort by lead star Reeves, The Day the Earth Stood Still was probably a Hollywood endeavor better left unexplored.

Not Every Classic Needs a Modern Reimagining

Hollywood is no stranger to tackling celebrated classics and attempting to give them a modern-day reimagining. Many moviegoers can’t help but feel like Tinseltown is running out of unique ideas and must depend on the films of cinema’s past for inspiration. Some acclaimed pictures of the 20th century should never be touched and are better left alone, a fact proven in recent years by the onslaught of remakes and reboots that failed to make a splash at the box office.

Related Best Sci-Fi Movies of the 1950s, Ranked Seminal doesn’t cover the half of it with these classics, science fiction movies which defined the ’50s and also the genre for decades to come.

Who could forget the trainwreck that was the 1998 shot-by-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s horror juggernaut Psycho, in which funnyman Vince Vaughn took over the legendary Anthony Perkins role of Norman Bates? Similarly, audiences weren’t sure what to make of the 2016 epic Ben-Hur, a reimagining of the Charlton Heston Oscar-winning spectacle, and they were deeply disappointed in updated adaptations of films like The Wolfman and The Wicker Man. Perhaps the entertainment industry will one day realize that these hallowed classics are a product of their time and their impact and legacy truly can’t be replicated. Buy/Rent The Day the Earth Stood Still on Prime Video.