O Dia em que a Terra Parou

Não vai ofender nem deleitar, e certamente não vai satisfazer. Nem com o conteúdo, nem tecnicamente. Scott Derrickson alterna bons momentos de pensamento e emoção com momentos puramente visuais, mas há pouco do primeiro, e o segundo é muitas vezes visto e pouco imaginativo. E o resto é preenchimento, apoiado apenas por Jennifer Connelly e Keanu Reeves. Embora eles não tenham muito para interpretar, vai simplesmente sentir-se instantaneamente próximo de Jennifer; e a Keanu, embora ele pareça o mesmo que em todos os filmes, vai acreditar ele ser mesmo um extraterrestre. O pequeno Smith é assustador, tal como a pequena Dakota era há alguns anos atrás. Derrickson é um realizador intimo, ele não era a escolha ideal (o personagem de general do exército, evocando um carpinteiro bastante redneck a exibir na sua garagem, é talvez uma tentativa fracassada de leveza). Embora o filme tenha um aspeto de agradável «encanto sci-fi», é quase televisivamente cauteloso, brando, e não escapa a comparações com Guerra dos Mundos de Spielberg, que, apesar de algumas falhas, foi um passeio mais excitante em todos os sentidos. (08/12/2008)

This really was a failure. Visually weak, retarded ideas, it flashes here and there is a decent atmosphere, but otherwise the sky is gray and no rain falls from it. The frowning Reeves and his Golem bring a message from the stars, but they find themselves in the middle of a flood of clichés from traditional disaster films, including the stupid family crisis of a beautiful astrobiologist. The result is a confused ride from place to place and boring chatter about humanity to the sound of Bach and the machine gun cannonade of the US ARMY. And when there's nothing to show, we get an unraveling as if from a goofy hippie trip. This is not about simplicity of thought, but rather simplicity of presentation. Derrickson tripped up nicely with this, and his version of the sci-fi classic is neither a sexy spectacle nor a film with a solid idea. It is worth considering that in terms of balance and the presentation of a simple agitating idea, the new version cannot compete with the original whatsoever. (08/12/2008)

After the almost hateful reviews that absolutely trashed the second half of the film, I expected almost anything except a pretty normal ending, which is actually considerably better than Independence Day, for instance. Last year’s genre relative I Am Legend also was much weaker. In short, The Day The Earth Stood Still is unlikely to become a new classic, but if I had to pick between it and any destruction orgy from Emmerich, I would choose Klaatua hands down. The director did his work with panache, delivering many scenes with a perfect atmosphere, and if I had to complain about something, it would be the script, or rather, the family storyline, but even that was bearable. (13/12/2008)

A worthy remake that does not put its predecessor to shame. The original was released in the 1950s, during the raging Cold War, and spoke with much more urgency, so the pleas that "We can change!" in the current version sound rather empty, but technically, it's clear that this spirited little sci-fi film has benefited from a modern coat of paint, especially in the character of the alien guardian Gort, who surpasses his predecessor in terms of impressiveness. The charismatic Keanu Reeves certainly didn't disappoint, but I'd love to shoot the whiny Smith to the Milky Way. (11/04/2009)

A surprisingly respectful remake of the original that goes a little off the path promised by the trailers. With its surprisingly intimate atmosphere, it plays the family card, which in some moments unnecessarily pulls the otherwise very good spectacle into pathos. The film is carried by excellent actors, great special effects, and by the skilled craftsman Derrickson, who can evoke both moments of absolute tension and thrilling popcorn rides where a giant black cloud takes out trucks and football stadiums. I might have expected something a little different in terms of a Christmas blockbuster, but the result is certainly not a bad one. I give it a weaker four stars. (11/12/2008)