Just like Robet Downey Jr. was born to play an rich playboy with a substance abuse problem, Keanu Reeves was born to play an emotionless alien from another planet. It’s time to admit it. We all loved the character Neo and thought The Matrix was the shit. But, Keanu has taken over Nicholas Cage’s spot for being able to hold the blank face look through an entire movie. Keanu Reeves has the blank stare coupled with him saying some wannabe profound shit. The most infamous of these is “I know Kung Fu”. This is not to be confused with Nicholas Cage’s blank stare that is always accompanied by him crying (Name a Cage movie where he doesn’t cry? Nope. You can’t).
I’m now a fan. I used to think that Keanu just couldn’t act. But then I realized that the Keanu’s “Blank Stare” is just his trademark “move” in acting. Every actor has one, kinda like a WWE wrestler’s finishing move (Think The People’s Elbow, the Stone Cold Stunner or Pedigree). Al Pacino has the crazy guy, double fist pumping, “Come Get Some” yell. Christian Bale has the Batman cowl stare. He’s had it way before he became Batman (Go back and check American Psycho or Equilibrium). Robert De Niro, the one eyebrow up, frowning “You talking to me” look. Will Smith has the negro “WTF are you talking about” stare. Some actors don’t have a signature move but a signature situation. Bruce Willis signature is, you beat him until he’s bleeding all over himself, give him a handgun with unlimited ammo and he saves the world. Substitute the unlimited ammo 9mm for the world’s largest jackhammer in the movie Armageddon and in Unbreakable he had unlimited health (Willis really is the modern day video game action hero). Next movie he does I’m hooking the Wii controller to the TV and pressing Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Select, Start so he starts the movie with 30 lives. Anyway, I’ve digressed…
The plot summary for The Day the Earth Stood Still reads as follows:
The 2008 remake of the 1951 classic about a representative of an alien race that went through drastic evolution to survive its own climate change, Klaatu comes to Earth to assess whether humanity can prevent the environmental damage they have inflicted on their own planet. Klaatu himself already has a negative opinion of humans, and when barred form speaking to the United Nations, he decides they shall be exterminated so the planet – with its rare ability to susteain complex life – can survive. It is up to Dr. Helen Benson and her stepson Jacob to convince Klaatu humans are worth saving: but it may already be too late.
Now this movie is a remake of the 1951 “classic” and I know there will be plenty of people out there crapping on it because there will be some liberties taken and it doesn’t match up 100% with the original. To those who will feel that way, I have 3 words for you: Get Over It. The original was made in the 50’s. Movies from then suck. The flying saucers were clearly upside down dinner plates with a tea cup on top and the robot Gort, looked like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. Sorry but that’s not menacing. And don’t try to tell me that it was all about the acting and not the effects cause the acting was just as bad as the damn effects. People that always bitch about them remaking movies need to stop. Sometimes its necessary. They remade Halloween and now it’s actually scary. Imagine that. Use today’s technology to make movies that were good concepts but victims of bad acting and poor effects (really, the knife with the blood effects got old quick) into what they should have been. I’m all for that. Story is overrated in Sci-Fi flicks. We want action and stuff that makes us go “Holy Fuck.”
Lastly, I want to put out that Jaden Smith is playing Jacob (the step son). I tell you, it pays to have a father who got the country to “Get Jiggy Wit It”.
