The Day the Earth Stood Still story
The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 2008 American science fiction drama film and a loose adaptation of the 1951 film of the same name. The screenplay by David Scarpa is based on the 1940 science fiction short story "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates and the 1951 screenplay adaptation by Edmund H. North. Synopsis: An alien is sent to Earth to try to change human behavior or eradicate humans from the planet.
15 total · 8 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| attack from outer space by a genocidal enemy | major | Klaatu was sent to Earth by an interstellar federation with orders to reboot the planet unless, perhaps, he judged humanity to be redeemable (note the plot is not entirely coherent on this). |
| coping with the death of a parent | major | The boy Jacob was struggling with the recent and unexpected passing of his father. |
| extraterrestrial being | major | The humanoid alien Klaatu was dispatched to Earth to render judgement on humanity. |
| first contact | major | The story depicts a first encounter between a humanoid alien representative of an interstellar federation intent on eradicating humanity from the planet Earth and the United States government. |
| humanoid robot | major | Klaatu was accompanied by the gigantic humanoid protector robot GORT. |
| mechanical insect | major | A swarm of self-replicating, winged, insect-like robots was going around consuming everything made of metal in its path, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. |
| self-replicating gray goo consuming the world | major | A swarm of self-replicating, winged, insect-like robots was unleashed upon the Earth, and went about transforming everything human-made in its path into its own kind. |
| stepmother and stepson | major | Helen was left to care for her young stepson, Jacob, after his father had died tragically and unexpectedly. The story builds up to Jacob coming to understand his more than just baggage from a previous relationship to her. |
| law enforcement | minor | A New Jersey State Trooper tried and failed to take Klaatu into custody. |
| mass hysteria | minor | The viewer is shown scenes rising global unrest as news of the alien visitor spread. |