Review of The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) by Jeffrey R — 29 Oct 2009

This is the ultimate science geek sci fi movie. Klaatu is a total badass, ala Liam Neeson in _Taken_ or Toshiro Mifune in _Yojimbo_. Some samples: "I have no patience with stupidity; my people have learned to live without it."; "It is no concern of ours how you run your own planet, but if you threaten to extend your violence, this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder. Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration". His championing of science, in abandoning official channels of heads of state and instead seeking an audience of the world's greatest scientists, an audience populated by the eminent Prof. Barnhardt, is a nod toward the ideals of those who pursue truth as the highest good. Klaatu's attitude captures the spirit of the INTP scientist, who neither seeks power over others, nor consciences the reckless abandon for power by others.

At a conference, I heard a view on scientists in popular movies by one of the attendees, who summed up the portrayals as, "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who grew up watching 'normal' movies, in which the Mad Scientists is always the villain, and those who grew up watching science fiction movies, in which the scientist is the hero and is the only one who can thwart the villain." I think this movie is characteristic of the latter genre.