4. Helen Benson - The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008)
I've already spoken at length about The Day The Earth Stood Still in
my article on Keanu Reeves back in December. Scott Derrickson's pro-environmental remake of Robert Wise's 1950s classic boasts impressive special effects but precious little else to lift it above the original. And while Reeves is by far the biggest offender on the acting front, Connelly doesn't exactly get away scot-free (no pun intended). In case you need reminding, The Day The Earth Stood Still begins with a large spherical spaceship landing in Central Park. Out of the spaceship emerges the alien Klaatu (Reeves) and the giant robot Gort. After being shot, Klaatu is taken to a military hospital to be examined, and reveals that he has come with an ultimatum. If the human race does not cease with their destruction of Earth's natural environment, the whole planet will be wiped out by Gort. Connelly was a big fan of the original film, and was drawn to the project by Derrickson updating Helen's role to be more active early in the story. But while she's a better actor than Reeves, the majority of her scenes feel detached and unemotional, either because Reeves is giving her so little to work with or because she's genuinely not sure where to pitch the part. Throw in the old cliché of the overly glamorous scientist (cf.
Pierce Brosnan and
Aaron Eckhart ) and you have another reason to skip this muddled remake.
