NoelSH {A Blog By Noel Herron

In a tweet I said that The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Quantum of Solace would suck. I don’t like being that shallow, but in 140 characters what am I supposed to do? I have a pretty good knack for (pre)judging movies, however my opinion tends to be ambiguous, but nonetheless accurate. For example, when I said that “Transformers” will have some exciting, possibly even impressive, but underwhelming and shallow. I was right, but, my prediction didn’t tell you much. I have a similar opinion on these two movies, both almost just as broad in specific elements, but, I think, accurate in aesthetics to a yet to be specified degree.
The Day the Earth Stood Still looks like another disappointing remake. It won’t be as bad as The War of The Worlds (but that’s the easy part). It will probably be another case of someone wanting to make good sci-fi movie but knows that the sci-fi crowd is too small, so they have to put extra mumbo jumbo into it to make it more interesting to a broader audience. It will seem overly dramatic, and that will be a turn off for most sci-fi fans. There might be some pretty visuals, but they will be more artsy than fantastic, or science fictional. Gort will be unimpressive, except, perhaps, when he’s destroying the world (if he indeed tries). The most impacting part of the entire movie will probably be when Klatoo hast to tell Jennifer Connelly (the lead female actress) “Klaatu barada nikto,” and the consequential scene were she delivers the iconic line to Gort. When the movie comes out on DVD I’ll probably buy it, and it will only be good for vegging, but disappointing once we start asking what it’s value is to the sci-fi community.

Quantum of Solace will be as disappointing as the last James Bond movie in the same ways. The main character will have no resemblance to the archetypical James Bond. Instead we will get an emotionally supersede (in the bad way) assassin with a motivation only to get revenge on enemies from the last movie. The mood will be completely different than a traditional Bond film. The sex, the drinking, the Casanova, the humor, the charm, and the gadgets will all be virtually nonexistent.

I cannot stress how much I understand that these are just prognostications, and first impressions. When I go to see both these movies (which I guaranty you I will) I’ll do it with an opened mind. I tell you these thoughts because I have a tendency to be right at them. If I’m right, congratulations to me. If I’m wrong, even 40% wrong, I’ll eat my words. So don’t fret if you are offended by my premature burning of these films. I hope to be impressed.