Keanu stood still, as did the Earth

I saw Scott Derrickson’s remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” today, and I have to say that I was impressed with Keanu Reeves.

It’s easy to make fun of Reeves, and over the years I’ve taken my share of shots. He has a way of making pronouncements with that deep voice of his that sounds as if he’s continually auditioning for the junior-high production of “Our Town.”

The role of Stage Manager, anyone?

And in Derrickson’s film, Reeves has the unenviable job of having to play the character – the alien Klaatu – created in the 1951 original by the urbane Michael Rennie . Now Rennie, for anyone who has seen the first film, isn’t prone toward emotion. In fact, he embraces the notion of “wooden” with all the energy of a gyppo logger on unemployment.

But remember: Rennie was British. You don’t have to emote when you speak with the accent that Shakespeare made famous. Reeves, however, once played Ted Logan, whose accent is far more dude that duke.

Yet Reeves is, to me, the best thing about this remake, which boasts not just fancier special effects but also an updated theme. In the original, Klaatu – a representative of a galactic government – is concerned about humankind’s inherent aggressiveness. In Derrickson’s film, the concern is more about humankind’s destruction of the Earth itself.

And why is Reeves so good? Because the thing he can do well is play minimal. He’s required to play someone who’s new to his body, and his tendency to give everything, and everyone, his undivided attention perfectly fits the situations he’s thrown into.

Besides his deep voice hits just the right modulation when, talking to Kathy Bates , Klaatu poses the ultimate question: “YOUR world?”

How good is the rest of the film? Well, it has no ending. Unlike in the original, when Klaatu gets to address the leading scientists and philosophers of the world, Reeves’ character simply … disappears.

Feels pretty abrupt. And I’m not sure turning out the lights is enough to make humankind feel as if we’re all on the precipice of destruction which, I’m pretty sure, was the point. Even the several million people who are bound to starve over the next several weeks might not do anything more than throw us into some kind of “Road Warrior” reality.

Maybe Derrickson didn’t think Reeves has enough talent to pull off a big speech. If so, who am I to argue?

Still, somebody needed to say something. Even if it’s only Ted Logan.