Sci-fi classic gets 21st century remake

Movie: "The Day the Earth Stood Still"

When: Opening Friday at local theaters; in IMAX at Aliante, Palms, Red Rock

Cast: Keanu Reeves , Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, John Cleese

Director: Scott Derrickson

The story: Klaatu (Reeves), an extraterrestrial in a human body, lands on Planet Earth, hoping to warn hapless humans of impending environmental disaster with the help of a renowned scientist (Connelly) and her stepson (Jaden Smith, who previously co-starred with dad Will in "Pursuit of Happyness").

The buzz: Klaatu borada nikto! This remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic goes 21st century, with Klaatu's robot companion Gort reimagined as a biological rather than a mechanical being -- and giant-screen Imax images in living color replacing the original's square-screen, black-and-white cinematography. (Assuming audiences are willing to pay extra to see this in Imax, that is.)

-- BY CAROL CLING