Sorry about the slight error in the title, but if you've seen the film, you may understand my major gripe about it.

The original 60s outing had a much grander scale in way of landscapes and panoramic scenery. I feel this film is mainly let down by the fact it seems to rely on about six different sets (obviously far too much money spent on the monkey masks). Set 1: the space ships and surrounding space; set 2: the jungle for landing in; set 3: the Village of the Apes (can you even call it a village, I felt it was more akin to a hamlet); set 4: the water's edge (just to show how pathetic these clever apes are as they haven't even overcome their fear of water); set 5: the obvious "my god, what have you done" scene a la the original (albeit a nice twist to this) and finally set 6: get ready for the sequel!!!

I know this sounds a bit vague, but the film is still good (not brilliant) enough to pay a visit to the cinema. So, I don't want to give the game away.

My only other gripe are casting director's total lack of thought: when did Mark Wahlberg suddenly become good enough for a "blockbuster" action/sci-fi film? Again was it to save money to put towards the monkey masks (they are superb)? ...And did old Bonehead Cutter not know how to sustain a decent transatlantic accent? Miss Bonham-Carter (let's be nice to her, she is rather a good and talented actress after all) started off with good intentions trying a Yankee accent (did the apes need to have these accents, "Ape" didn't in George of the Jungle!) and slowly decline (or should I say ascended) into her normal uppercrust dialect.

All these whinges aside, it was a well edited (if a little sparse on story...sorry, I'm whinging again) piece of enjoyable hokum (I like that word, better than load of old twaddle). It also had two scenes that connected with the first film (I have been told that there are more, but these s
tuck in my mind the most).

When our (wooden acted) hero first gets accosted by an ape, he turns and says something like, get your filthy hands off me you damned ape (please don't quote me on the exact dialogue), which is said in the first film by an ape to a human. The second one was finding Charlton "you b*****ds" Heston playing a monkey!!!

All in all, a mixed reception from myself. I will however await the sequel (which they will no doubt be able to invest more money in better...masks) as long as they find a more dynamic hero (sorry Mark, stick to being sidekicks).