Subject: Review: Planet of the Apes (2001)

From: Homer Yen <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 21:26:59 -0000

"Planet of the Apes" – Gorilla Warfare
by Homer Yen
(c) 2001

On a distant planet, perhaps in another galaxy or in
another dimension, apes have remarkably evolved to a
superior state while Homo sapiens, oddly, are the
animals.  The human race has become a scourge.  They
are caged, prodded, displayed for amusement, and sold
into slavery.  Some are even kept as pets.  At first,
this film seems to project itself as biting satire –
an ironic piece of social commentary about our own
arrogant sense of aggrandizement.  But the film's
initial edginess considerably dulls as these notions
fade and "Apes" devolves into an unremarkable story
about a lost space traveler trying to return home.

The 20-minutes-too-long opening introduces us to
Captain Davidson (Mark Wahlberg), a pilot working on a
research space station.  While on a search and rescue
mission, he is blindsided by one of those Star
Trek-like swirling spatial anomalies.  Hurled through
time and space, he eventually crash lands on a strange
planet.  

Looking like a contestant on "Survivor 4," without
benefit of supplies or technology, he comes across a
band of humans, dressed in post-apocalyptic fashion. 
They are running for their lives, pursued by apes. 
But these aren't the simians that Davidson remembers
back on Earth.  These species seem to be eons ahead on
the evolutionary scale.  They speak, have superhuman
strength, and are as nimble as Jackie Chan. 

Eventually captured, he meets militant extremist
General Thade (Tim Roth), who considers the human
population an infestation and wants to eradicate the
whole species.   However, Ari (Helena Bonham Carter),
a civil-minded daughter of a powerful Senator, keeps
his genocidal plans in check.  But her influence can
only go so far.  And when Thade becomes convinced of
Davidson's threat to the ape-world's balance of
nature, he calls up his army whilst Ari and Davidson
flee into the hinterlands.

Much of the film focuses on their journey to a
destination where they believe they can find help
while Thade and his military troops give pursuit.  But
their travels provide too few exciting or tense
moments.  Meanwhile, Mark Wahlberg lacked the
leading-man charisma, unable to inspire his ragtag
band of followers.  With this kind of leadership, only
the hand of God could prevent a complete slaughter. 

The Ape characters seemed more, well…human. 
Roth-as-Thade is gloriously malicious as the fascist
leader.  Carter-as-Ari turns in a compassionate
performance as the sympathetic aristocrat.  Also of
note is Michael Clarke Duncan who lends an air of
nobility as Thade's trusted friend.  And likeable was
an orangutan slave trader (Paul Giametti) whose witty
banter and sour disposition made him seem like a
distant cousin to Jim Carrey's "Grinch."

The realism of these apes is incredible as advanced
make-up techniques give these creatures an uncannily
human look.  Yet they still maintain such apish traits
as sniffing, roaring, beating their chests, swinging,
and walking with that distinctive simian gait.  Their
world is all the more imposing thanks to director Tim
Burton's dark and gloomy otherworldly visualizations. 
  Meanwhile, maestro Danny Elfman (who did "Batman")
composes a soundtrack filled with ominous sounding
passages and gothic/military anthems.

"Apes" gets an opposable "thumbs up" for visuals,
presentation, and for its overall imaginative look and
feel.  However, it gets an opposable "thumbs down" for
a bland story, a lackluster drama, and its absurd
resolution.  While competent and handsome looking, it
needed greater profundity, zip, and intensity.  As it
stands, there's no reason to go ape.

Grade: C+
S:	1 out of 3
L:	0 out of 3
V:	2 out of 3

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X-RAMR-ID: 29203
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 244174
X-RT-TitleID: 1108704
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: C+