VIDEO: The trailer for The Day the Earth Stood Still
Scott (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) Derrickson's remake of Robert Wise's 1951 sci-fi classic begins promisingly before devolving into cinematic junk food — perhaps that's why the scene set in McDonald's makes sense, unlike the rest of the plot.
As in the original, an alien spacecraft lands on Earth. Klaatu (Keanu Reaves) emerges and is almost immediately shot by the military; that prompts the activation of his (now) gigantic death-ray-shooting robot protector, Gort (less robotic than Keanu), who's stopped by Klaatu's immortal line: "Klaatu barada nikto." (I think — it's impossible to distinguish in the muddled sound mix.) A mother (Jennifer Connelly) and her young (step) son (Jaden Smith) remain the key to humanity's salvation. But I fear it's too late: as a publicity stunt, Fox has transmitted the film into space and it's due to arrive at Alpha Centauri in 2012, the year the Mayan Calendar ends.
In other words, we're doomed.
