Marky Mark and The Banana Bunch (Planet Of The Apes [2001] (DVD))

Member Name: plipplop

Product:	Planet Of The Apes [2001] (DVD)
Date:	26/01/08 (147 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great film, tonnes of extras

Disadvantages: Extra Overload

I was a massive fan of the old Planet of the Apes movies - they had some great stories, great characters and were all carried off in a highly imaginative format. It was with some trepidation, therefore, that I awaited the release of the new big bucks Hollywood version that was released in 2001. One of the big cinema blockbusters of the year, the film was heralded with seemingly relentless press coverage, and interviews with the stars were on nearly every single TV show for a period of about two months. The DVD release was advertised with similar pomp - this was the "future of DVD" apparently.

Set in the year 2029, the film opens on the space station OBERON, where reconnaissance missions are being undertaken by highly trained chimpanzee pilots - all under the watchful eyes of a team of US astronauts. On an exploratory mission into a fierce electro-magnetic storm, one such chimp loses communication with the control centre, and disappears from the radar. One of the astronauts (Leo Davidson) launches a rescue mission in a separate craft, only to find himself caught up in the storm. His craft malfunctions, and he crash lands on a jungle-like planet. It is not long before he runs into the locals - a tribe of persecuted humans, who are being hunted and captured by English-speaking apes. Following his own capture, Leo is astonished by the civilisation that he encounters - but quickly gets caught up in a struggle for survival against the evil ape, General Thade. His only aim is escape- but he may end changing the course of history....

Planet of the Apes is unquestionably a very good movie. Filled with fantastic characters, imaginative set pieces and exciting action, I enjoyed it from start to finish. Technically, the film is also very advanced - at times, you could forget that the talking apes weren't really real - and the plot twists and turns in such a way that it keeps you guessing right up until the end. So much time and attention has been put into making this film that you cannot fail to enjoy it.

The plot is well constructed, if not slightly predictable, and enables the film to move along at a suitably brisk pace. I particularly liked the recurring irony of the role reversal portrayed between man and apes - a key theme throughout the film that shifts its sensitivities from the apes to the humans and then back again several times throughout. Planet is not just a dumb action movie - there is plenty of action, but the filmmakers have worked hard to put something relatively sensible together, and there is a lot of social commentary being made here. As an analogy of the human race, the ape society is suitably apt - the children are rude and spoilt, the military is power-hungry, and the businessmen are greedy and unscrupulous. There are a number of key plot twists during the movie, although (at the risk of sounding cocky) I had pretty much figured them out right from the start of the film - the ending is excellent though, and I have to say that I didn't quite see that one coming.

As a film directed by Tim Burton, you would expect a range of suitably dark and mysterious settings, and to a certain extent, you won't be disappointed with this film. The best sequences are those set in the main ape mountain inhabitant, where Burton's gothic tastes are evident. I enjoyed the blend of modern and primitive styles enjoyed by the apes - their sophisticated tastes and vanities all contrast heavily with their strange movements and aggressive instincts, and there are a number of comical touches to lift the mood. Once the action shifts from the mountain, however, the Burton influences all but disappear, and the film moves into a rather uninspiring desert setting that would be more at home in a George Lucas movie. The special effects are all very competent too - the space station scenes, as well as the battle scenes on the planet are all impressive enough, although the night-time settings in the apes' mountain lair were comparatively undemanding.

The apes are consistently excellent - the quality and innovation of the make up designers is breathtaking. As you are introduced to the main ape characters, you cannot fail to be impressed by the different ape species represented, all with their own characteristics. Whereas the apes in the original movies were all fairly generic, the apes in this version can clearly be identified as chimpanzees, gorillas, orang-utans and more. The apes' movements are all skilfully choreographed whilst walking, but the acrobatic scenes are even more impressive, with visually flawless sequences of the apes leaping, climbing and even riding horses. I was slightly disappointed with Helena Bonham-Carter's make-up design - in an effort to make her look more flatteringly feminine, I decided that she actually ended up looking like a cross between Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

The film has a fine cast of actors, all of whom perform extremely well. Mark Wahlberg goes on to prove that those dodgy pop music days are well behind him, with a charismatic performance as the stranded astronaut Leo Davidson. Tim Roth's General Thade is one of the best villain performances I have seen in a long time - from his voice, to his facial expressions, Thade is relentlessly sinister from start to finish, and genuinely frightening. Bonham-Carter's character is also very strong, with a unique twist on the role of a female love interest for Leo - her portrayal of the compassionate and intelligent, yet feisty Senator's daughter Ari is very compelling. Kris Kristofferson crops up as a beaten-up old man (he's good at those isn't he?) and even Charlton Heston pops up briefly as the dying father of General Thade. My favourite character had to be the tradesman Limbo, whose role added some (often, much needed) light relief.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about this DVD package is the volume of extras. The DVD retails in a two disc set that features no less than thirteen hours of additional features - combined with the film's running time of two hours, that's nearly fifteen hours of entertainment. The value for money is therefore unquestionable - although I'm not sure that the 13-hour claim is totally true. The extras include the following:

- Audio commentaries by Tim Burton and Danny Elfman that can be played whilst the movie is running.

- An enhanced viewing mode that will take you behind the scenes, whilst you watch the film.

- Four split screen videos

- 8 documentaries (known as featurettes). The insight into the film making process is fascinating - the make-up, choreography, wardrobe, score and screen tests are all shown in considerable detail.

- 5 extended scenes - none of which were terribly interesting.

- Multi-angle scene comparisons - you're supposed to get the feel of sitting in the Director's chair. Infinitely fiddly with the remote control - and ultimately very dull.

- A Paul Oakenfold music video - which is really just clips from the film, set to an Oakenfold remix.

- Trailers

- Crew and Cast profiles

- Stills Galleries

To be honest, the volume of extras was far more than I would ever want to view and I rather felt that the extras were excessive. The menu structure is quite good, with a battle ape pointing at various options, from which you then select what you want - although this makes navigation rather time-consuming. The documentaries do enable the viewer to appreciate the time and effort that went into the film - and some of them are quite entertaining in their own right.

As an entertainment package, a night in with this DVD set should be very satisfying. Planet of the Apes is an engaging, highly enjoyable film - and is suitable for most tastes. The extras (although probably too much for one night) are certainly worth a browse.

Highly recommended!

Summary: Tim Burton Re-imagines a Classic