Planet of the Apes - I think telling the truth will make this review rather pointless (Planet Of The Apes [2001] (DVD))

Member Name: shalimar

Product:	Planet Of The Apes [2001] (DVD)
Date:	22/08/01 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb ape make-up , Charlton Heston's appearance, Story gets more ludicrous as well as interesting

Disadvantages: Serious message might be lost among moviegoers, Story might be too confusing, a few unexplainable plot holes

Director - Tim Burton
Starring - Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Estella Warren, Paul Giamatti, Kris Kristofferson
Length - 110 minutes
Cert - 12

I wasn't really all that keen on watching this movie. But I couldn't avoid it. I don't think anyone can. It's one of those massive event movies you just have to watch no matter what, so that in another 30 years time you can tell your children "I remember watching Planet of the Apes in a building known as a cinema. And back then they didn't have 3-D screens where you can touch or taste what you see." Well, you never know! Things may change in 30 years time! Things certainly change a lot for Wahlberg's character Leo Davidson.

The year is 2029 and Leo's chimp Pericles is placed in a small pod and launched from a space station as a small experiment. He is directed to an odd and very pretty looking black hole just to see if the space and atmosphere there is safe. It obviously isn't as he disappears off radar. Upset and angry, Leo sets off after him (yes, he cares about his chimp), but he also gets lost. He crashes through time barriers, goes through wormholes and you've guessed it… he crash lands on a planet. But this isn't like one of your ordinary planets where money grows on trees and people come from the ground. On this planet, apes rule. They are the dominant species while humans are treated as slaves, workers and pets. Not really all that different to the red light district in London then. As soon as Leo leaves his ship he's captured along with fellow human Daena (Warren). Both are brought to work for ape Ari (Bonham Carter), one of few apes who believes that humans and apes can live together and she isn't very happy about the way humans are treated. Leo isn't keen on sticking around, and so with the help of Daena and Ari and other fellow humans, he busts out hoping to find a way off
the planet. However the news is alerted to military leader General Thade (Roth) who quickly takes charge and sets off after them.

Now, I've never actually seen the original movie (I already had the ending for that ruined for me!), so I'm just taking this as it is. NOT as a remake because I can't compare it. Though Tim Burton doesn't wish to call it a remake but a "re-imagining". You might as well call it Burton's take or his version of it. But from what I hear, was there really any point in remaking Planet of the Apes? Like with Psycho, what's the point in remaking a film that's already regarded as a classic? So far I think the only reason they did was so that the summer of 2001 can be blessed with a 'good' blockbuster.

The story isn't all that amazing to begin with. Man crash lands on planet full of hairy people, doesn't like it very much and wants to go home! But the plot does take a few turns here and there and the movie began to hold my interest even more when the origin of the apes is brought up. Besides being interesting it might also prove too confusing for some audiences who may end up questioning the person sitting next to them (don't do this or you and that person may totally lose it), or they'll be talking about it on the way home.

Besides the end, the other most memorable thing about this movie is the ape make-up. Rick Baker looks set to win another Oscar. He hasn't just covered the actors up with a mask, made them hairy from head to toe and make them completely unrecognisable. The ape actors have a certain individuality about them in the sense that you know who's there. Under that appearance there's a person giving their performance. You can still tell that it's Tim Roth there, even if he does talk as if he's taken an overdose. And it's obvious that it's Helena Bonham Carter because that accent just gives it away.

As t
he film progresses it decides to rush things up. Our human characters somehow gain extra horses and extra humans just appear from nowhere to make up the numbers for the battle sequence. It's also strange in that Wahlberg's character isn't that interested in finding out more about this strange planet. I guess he wouldn't want to due to how many times he gets pounded upon by apes (I'm surprised he's still alive), but he spends no more then four days on this planet. Well I suppose that's enough for a big blockbuster. Also the acting from the humans is questionable. While Wahlberg is adequate and convincing enough as the hero, Kris Kristofferson is wasted while Estella Warren as his daughter Daena does and says little but serves up as eye-candy for males.

I was surprised to see Charlton Heston and quite enjoyed his cameo performance in the movie. Although his purpose is to show General Thade what the humans are capable of, he basically serves as an in-joke. You might not recognise him straight away but with the voice of Moses he's not too hard to miss! Especially when he starts uttering those lines!

I'm sure you're already aware that the movie features a surprise/twist ending. DING-DING-DING Surprise ending here! WOO WOO WOO WOO! Would you like a confusing ending or a perplexing headache of an ending? I honestly hate being told when a movie has a surprise ending, let alone being told what it actually is - a-la The Sixth Sense. It spoils my enjoyment just that little bit more because I then already know that there's going to be a twist and I just sit there waiting for it to happen. I guess Burton had to try his best to top the original movie somehow, so I don't think I was going to escape hearing the news about Planet of the Apes’ conclusion. The movie as well as its conclusion might result in many unfinished conversations but I really don't think it's worth all the talk and fuss because
you'll end having to buy another pack of Anadin. If you're desperate, there are already plenty of posts on movie message boards all over the Internet from people who have their own theories.

Planet of the Apes is not a life threatening movie but acceptable summer fare. The flashy visuals and superb makeup effects warrant the price of admission but they overshadow a lot of things. The script work being one of them ("Kill them all" - "I can show you the way") as there isn't a lot of sharp or witty dialogue or even deep conversations. Well they may not be a common find in an action blockbuster, but there is the one between Roth and Heston, with Heston getting the most memorable lines, even if he is saying something he expressed over 30 years ago. But most importantly the message of having apes controlling humans and vice-versa, and humans living as equals and without differences is all quickly forgotten. It's there, but after an ending like that no one is going to pay any attention to it. I don't think Burton is going to worry too much though as the money is already pouring in and he has created a movie which 2001 will be remembered for. If you want to do some thinking while watching some easy entertainment then here it is. Because honestly, Planet of the Apes is the best mind f**k you'll see this summer.

Rating - 7 out of 10


Points of Interest:
·Planet of the Apes took $68.5 million in its opening weekend in the US. In the UK the film took £5.43 million in its opening weekend
·The line "Why can't we all just get along", spoken by Paul Giamatti's character Limbo is also spoken by Jack Nicholson in Burton's other movie Mars Attacks!
·Charlton Heston has a cameo in the film as a dying ape. His last lines are also the same as his last lines in the original Planet of the Apes movie.
·Director Tim Burton shot five different endings for the film so that it wo
uld be a mystery for the audience as to what actually happens.
·20th Century Fox's head of distribution Bruce Snyder has admitted that the ending of the film "wasn't really supposed to make sense" and that "there is no firm answer".
·The film undertook a few last minute changes, with extra CGI work, tweaks to the musical score and a few edits just days before it's release in the US.
·The actors that were playing apes were sent to ape school so that they could be trained to behave more like apes!
·Actor Michael Clarke Duncan (who plays Attar, Thade's right hand man) sprained his ankle on set and was taken to hospital while in his ape makeup.
·Director Tim Burton refuses to direct a sequel due to his battles with 20th Century Fox and their handling of the movie.

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