[danj]

Based on the trailer I saw it will be yet another film full of loud explosions and impressive CGI and little else. Another one of those "blockbusters" that will make a ton of money for a couple weeks then disappear into video.

As much as anything else, the original "Day the Earth Stood Still" is a statement on the paranoia and bigotry of the late 40s - early 50s. Many in the film industry were under suspicion because of their alleged political beliefs and/or their associations with so-called "communists." They were often called "un-American" because they had, or knew, someone whose socio-political leanings were left of the supposed center. Films like this were one of the only creative outlets for making a statement against these wrongs. It could not be made as a current "true-life" picture, as had the classic "Gentlemen's Agreement" in 1947; the message had to be rhetorical and methaphorical. It had to be in a sci-fi or a picture set in a previous century. Those were dark days in Hollywood.

These days? The story really belongs in the 1950s so I suppose the current film will really resemble the original only in the most basic way - the theme may be similar and the title is reused.

And Keanu Reeves? Gimme a break! I cannot understand how such a limited actor can have such a big career. He belongs in stuff like "Bill & Ted" and ...... wait a minute! Most of his films aren't any deeper than "Bill and Ted." They just have bigger budgets. Mindless fodder to put asses in the seats. A month in theaters and straight to video.