The Day the Earth Stood Still

(USA, 2008, 103 minutes)

A visitor from an advanced alien civilization arrives in New York to warn the humans about the damage they're doing to Earth, but his military reception convinces him the planet isn't worth saving. Workmanlike update of the fondly-remembered 1951 classic, replacing Cold War atomic fears with environmental catastrophy, but retaining a surprisingly modest, B-movie-like efficiency.

Twentieth Century-Fox presents, in association with Dune Entertainment III, a 3 Arts Entertainment production. Starring Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly; Jaden Smith, John Cleese, Jon Hamm, Kyle Chandler; and Kathy Bates. Directed by Scott Derrickson; produced by Erwin Stoff, Gregory Goodman, Paul Harris Boardman; screenplay by David Scarpa, based on the screenplay by Edmund H. North, The Day the Earth Stood Still; music by Tyler Bates; director of photography (DeLuxe, Panavision), David Tattersall; production designer, David Brisbin; costume designer, Tish Monaghan; film editor, Wayne Wahrman; visual effects supervisor, Jeffrey A. Okun.