I agree, the original was a metaphor for the Post War/Cold War world. A warning which we have failed to heed.
The remake would have been a good movie had the original never existed.
Speaking of remakes that shouldn't have been made, last year's "The Manchurian Candidate" immediately comes to mind. And that reminds me, speaking of Denzel Washington (who I usually like), what about that 2-hour DNC ad "John Q."