Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing: this movie has a 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, and that's being generous. It's a remake of a classic 1951 film that nobody wanted, delivered with all the emotional depth of a PowerPoint presentation about climate change.

Keanu Reeves plays Klaatu, an alien who comes to Earth, decides humans are terrible for the environment (fair), and starts the process of wiping us out. The environmental message is important, but it's delivered with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. The pacing is glacial, the script is wooden, and even the impressive CGI can't save it from being a genuine chore to sit through.

If you want to have conversations with your teen about climate change and humanity's future, just... have those conversations. Don't make them suffer through this joyless slog first. There are so many better options—WALL-E for younger kids, Interstellar for older teens, or even just watch a good documentary. This movie takes an important topic and makes it boring, which is almost impressive in its own way.

The 2.3/5 on Letterboxd tells you everything you need to know. Life's too short, and your teen's attention span is too valuable.

Age Fit

Best for ages 13+ based on apocalyptic themes and destruction, though honestly, most teens would rather watch literally anything else. If you want environmental sci-fi that's actually good, show them WALL-E or the 1951 original instead.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

45

The film's central premise involves an alien deciding to exterminate humanity, which creates a fundamentally dark and pessimistic tone. While it attempts to model environmental consciousness, the overall emotional landscape is bleak and apocalyptic rather than emotionally healthy. The pacing is reportedly sluggish (based on poor audience reception), and the film doesn't offer much in terms of modeling kindness or cooperation—mostly fear, resistance, and nihilism.

Imaginative

55

The premise of an alien coming to judge humanity's environmental stewardship has some sci-fi imagination, but this 2008 remake is widely criticized for being a soulless, effects-driven retread of the 1951 classic. The 21% critic score and 27% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes suggest it failed to inspire or engage viewers with fresh ideas. It's more CGI spectacle than thought-provoking exploration, lacking the originality that would invite genuine curiosity or creative thinking.

Safe

55

Common Sense Media rates this at 13+, indicating some intense sci-fi violence and apocalyptic themes. The film involves mass destruction scenarios and the threat of human extinction, which could be disturbing for younger viewers. However, it's a PG-13 theatrical release without graphic gore, sexual content, or extreme profanity. The safety concerns are moderate—mostly around frightening imagery and existential dread rather than shocking inappropriate content.

Enriching

40

While the film attempts to address climate change and environmental responsibility—relevant and important topics—the execution is reportedly heavy-handed and dull. With a 40 Metacritic score and 5.5/10 on IMDb, critics and audiences found it preachy without being insightful. The environmental message gets lost in a plodding narrative that fails to build empathy or offer meaningful takeaways beyond 'humans bad, planet good.' Entertainment value is severely lacking, making any enrichment potential moot.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Environmental themes are timely and could spark conversations about climate change and humanity's impact on Earth
Keanu Reeves brings his signature stoic energy to an emotionless alien role (which, to be fair, is on-brand)
The premise of aliens judging humanity's worthiness has philosophical potential, even if poorly executed here
Some impressive visual effects sequences of global-scale destruction for teens interested in sci-fi spectacle

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What to Watch For

Apocalyptic themes and mass destruction imagery that could be frightening for younger or sensitive viewers
The film is genuinely boring—21% critic score isn't a typo, and even teens may check out halfway through
Heavy-handed environmental preaching without nuance or compelling storytelling to back it up
Existential dread about human extinction might be too heavy for middle schoolers already anxious about climate change

Conversation Starters

"If aliens came to judge whether humans deserve to keep Earth, what would you want them to know about us?"
"The movie suggests humans are destroying the planet—what are some things people are doing to help fix that?"
"Do you think humanity can change quickly enough to solve big problems like climate change, or do we need a wake-up call?"
"How would you have made this movie better? What would make the environmental message more interesting?"

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The Day the Earth Stood Still