The Disney+ Sci-Fi Thriller Remake No One Remembers

The Day the Earth Stood Still begins in the remote Karakoram Mountains in 1928 India, where a solitary mountaineer stumbles upon an otherworldly glowing sphere that renders him unconscious.

In the present day, a celestial object hurtles towards Earth. The government tasks a team of scientists, led by Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) and Michael Granier (Jon Hamm), to investigate.

However, chaos ensues when the object in The Day the Earth Stood Still is revealed to be a spaceship descending on Manhattan.

As the military and scientists converge on the scene, an alien emerges and is greeted by Helen. Amidst the confusion, the alien is shot, triggering a humanoid robot named GORT to defend it.

Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), the wounded alien, commands GORT to stand down momentarily.

In the subsequent investigation, scientists discover that the alien’s exterior is a bioengineered space suit concealing a human-like being.

Klaatu eventually reveals that his mission is to deliver a message to the world’s leaders about the destructive path humanity is on and warn them that the Earth will be destroyed if humans do not change their ways.

Klaatu befriends Helen Benson as he attempts to fulfill his mission. The Day the Earth Stood Still also sees Klaatu consult with another long-standing Earth resident alien, Mr. Wu (James Hong), who shares humanity’s flaws but expresses love for the people.

However, the government still perceives Klaatu as a threat and tries to capture him.

The Day the Earth Stood Still blends a tale of extraterrestrial intervention with a story about ecological conservation and the potential for human redemption. Critics had mixed feelings about the film.

While some praised the visual effects and Keanu Reeves’ performance, others criticized the screenplay, pacing, and the film’s deviation from the source material.

However, The Day the Earth Stood Still performed reasonably well at the box office, earning over $233 million against a production budget of $80 million.

While the movie managed to recoup its costs and turn a profit, audience reception was also varied. Some viewers appreciated the film’s modern take on the classic and its environmental themes. Others felt that it failed to capture the essence of the original.

The 1954 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still was directed by Robert Wise from a screenplay by David Scarpa. The decision to remake it was influenced by the popularity and cultural significance of the original.

However, the 2008 filmmakers aimed to update the story to reflect contemporary concerns about environmental issues.

To watch The Day the Earth Stood Still through the Disney+ Hulu section, which is still in its beta version, viewers will need a subscription to both services.