I'm a big fan of SciFi and as with many who love the genre, I considered the 1951 version a classic. So, I was quite anxious to see the remake. The obvious change in the primary point of the plot, (war/violence to environment/climate) seemed workable, and if properly executed, had potential.<br /><br />As it turns out, it was potential unfulfilled. I left the theater thinking that was 2 hours of my life that I'd never get back.<br /><br />Mediocre acting can sometimes be overcome by a really good story and script but no amount of great acting or special effects, which this film definitely did not contain, can overcome a lousy script. <br /><br />SPOILERS FOLLOW <br /><br />In the original the scenes of the Earth standing still occurred at a point in the story line that made sense in the flow of the story. The point was to demonstrate that the aliens did indeed have the ability to destroy the earth. In this version they choose to plug that event in at the end of the movie leaving viewers wondering why. <br /><br />The change in the plot from advanced races sending a being to evaluate and warn us to changes our ways to one in which the decision to destroy humanity has already been made guts the point of the original story and makes this noting more than another "B" aliens come to destroy the Earth movie. <br /><br />Finally, the acting in this bomb leaves much to be desired. Keanu Reeves was emotionless, as usual. Jennifer Connelly was almost as bad. Perhaps the most disappointing was Kathy Bates, who is usually a great actor, although I do not know that anyone could really do all that much with the flotsam of a script they were saddled with. <br /><br />Bottom line is that this film is definitely not worth the cost or time and effort of a trip to the theater. If you must see it, do yourself a favor and wait for it to make it to the movie channels or show up in Red Box.