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Trust Weighted
Good
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9Trust Points
MJ5K's Review
Summary - Good 3.0
Oh get over it, people. It wasn’t THAT bad! For the film experts who have been living under a rock, the original 1968 Planet of the Apes with Charlton Heston is a brilliant science fiction masterpiece that has stood the test of time, spawning four mediocre sequels, a television series, spoofs, rip-offs, and pop culture references. Even though some of the effects make it look dated, it still holds up for many people. Around the early 90’s there were rumors of a new Planet of the Apes floating around Hollywood. Rumors that it would be helmed by someone like Steven Speilberg or Oliver Stone.
So, who was the lucky guy they hired to direct this pointless remake? Why, Tim Burton of course! Hot off the success of Sleepy Hollow. A rather unlikely choice. What do I mean by that? Well, Tim Burton’s films are dark, at times depressing, strange, and kooky. So, Planet of the Apes doesn’t seem like his type of movie. But knowing him, he’s destined to Burton it up!
Not keeping the same brilliance or sci fi feeling of the original Heston vehicle, Burton offered a much different take on the story. In fact, its said that this is in some ways actually truer to the novel by Pierre Boulle. Well, I have not read it, so I’m merely looking at this as a movie. Well, Burton ignored the characters from the original and changed everything. The apes are more medieval and the humans can talk.
The story focuses on Leo Davidson, who goes after his chimpanzee and is sucked through a vortex that brings him to a planet where the humans are slaves and the apes are the master. The apes are lead by the ruthless Thade and Attar. Leo meets Ari, a humans rights activists, and Krull, her family’s servant. They lead a party of apes and humans in a quest to find the truth behind the war between ape and man.
I am one of the biggest Tim Burton geeks on the planet and I found this film not as good as the original, but entertaining. Burton’s Planet of the Apes offers good action, great special effects, and the make-up by Acedemy Award winning make-up artist Rick Baker is light years ahead of the original. All in all, it makes a good summer blockbuster. But as a remake, you can’t defend it at all.
Acting - Good 3.0
The acting is a little hit and miss.
Male Stars - Very Good 3.5
Mark Wahlberg is rather wooden as protagonist Leo Davidson, and has none of the screen presence or bravado as Charlton Heston has in the 1968 classic. There are times where he comes off as a typical, cliched action star. However, Tim Roth excells as General Thade and makes an excellent villain. His ruthless portrayal is sadistic and threatening.Female Stars - Good 3.0
Helena Bonham Carter does a rather good job as Ari. She's a very versatile actress and there are times where she comes off as a female Johnny Depp. She is funny at times and definately knows her limits. Also, keep in mind this is where she and Tim Burton met for the first time. Since then, they've had three children and have made three films together.Female Costars - OK 2.5
I wish I could say the same about Estella Warren as Dana. She has very little personality, even Linda Harrison's silent portrayal of Nova in the original had more character that she has. I guess the casting director saw her and thought the fact that she's hot will hide the fact that she couldn't act even for a paycheck.Male Costars - Very Good 3.5
Michael Clarke Duncan is great as Attar, Thade's right hand ape. And Paul Giamatti, one of the greatest character actors of our time, is hilarious as Limbo, human hater turned human helper.Film - Very Good 3.5
Direction - Very Good 3.5
The direction Burton takes the film in is a but iffy at times. There are times of pointless dialogue and unneccasary action , yet there are points of great special effects and imagery. So what I'm basically saying is it trys in places, it succeeds in some, and fails in others.Dialogue - OK 2.5
Again, there are times of pointless dialogue. I thought they could've done a few more read throughs.Music - Really Great 4.5
Denny Elfman's score is electrifying as usual.Visuals - Really Great 4.5
The CGI is very well done. It makes it the entertaing vehicle that it is. The make up effects are phenomenal. Each aspect of the visual style is light years ahead of the original.Edge - Risqué 2.0
Theres a bit of brutal violence, but I think kids will still enjoy it.
Sex Innocent 1.3
Violence Brutal 3.4
Rudeness Polite 1.4
Reality - Fantasy 5.0
Circumstantial - Fantasy 5.0
Biological - Fantasy 5.0
Physical - Fantasy 5.0
4 Comments
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MJ5K Nov 15, 2009 6:21PM
As awesome as Depp is, I still hate his Willy Wonka. It wasn’t Depp’s fault, it was just the way the character was written. I just thought it was wierd how he sent out the golden tickets and yet when the kids get there, he seems completely uninterested.
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Wick Nov 15, 2009 1:19PM
Hmm, I hadn’t noticed that Burton and Depp and Bonham Carter were getting the band back together to do Alice in Wonderland. What a fusion of genius, as always with these three. I remember thinking the same after seeing the first trailer for Sweeney Todd. Just revisited my review and was reminded that the movie fully met that expectation. I’m confident AiW will do the same.
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MJ5K Nov 15, 2009 12:38PM
Thnx, Wick. Indeed, they’re like the Addams family of Hollywood. What’re your thoughts on Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. I’ll pretty much see anything by Burton. I just hope Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter won’t give me nightmares like his version of Willy Wonka.
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Wick Nov 15, 2009 10:30AM
Regarding MetalJunky5000’s Review
Great review MJ5K! “Burton it up!” indeed. :-)I especially appreciate how you’ve identified lots of interesting and little known aspects of the movie and its making. For instance, I hadn’t known that Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton met here. They’re an all time great Hollywood couple IMO.