An exciting idea, a classic movie and one of today’s greatest directors combined to make a movie that’s not as good as the original, but will still provide a feast for the eyes and an exciting story.
The new “Planet of the Apes” is difficult to define - while it is a good movie, it misses the depth and drama of the first. Where the original aimed for social commentary, this modern take jumps into action. Of course, any fan of the first will want to check out the new flick, while those who have never seen it might find this updated look just right.
Just about everyone is familiar with the concept: A lost spaceman ends up on a planet ruled by apes who enslave humans and treat them as a lesser species.
The spaceman in this case is Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg). Davidson begins on a space station in the near future, training chimps to command flights into space to prevent humans from flying on dangerous missions.
Davidson has to head into space when his smartest pupil, Pericules, is sent out to examine an electric storm and disappears. We begin to understand the point of the film as Pericules gives Leo a thumbs-up from his departing pod, his eyes flashing as much, if not more, intelligence and compassion as the humans who are sending him into the unknown.
Upon leaving the station to find Pericules, Leo is swept into the storm and crashes onto a jungle-laden planet. Without time to rest, he finds himself running with other humans, trying to escape a hostile collection of apes who strike and gather up the humans.
The characterization of the ape roles is remarkable. Some of the great performances come from the very funny Limbo (Paul Giamatti), who deals in the human slave trade, the incredibly threatening General Thade (played by an unrecognizable Tim Roth in an amazing turn as a villain) and the compassionate Ari (Helena Bonham Carter).
The ape makeup almost seems to fade away as the actors take up their roles and fill them wonderfully. While Leo comments that “talking monkeys can’t exist,” the apes’ strikingly human nature never lets us doubt that they do.
This film can’t be reviewed without examining the direction. Tim Burton (“Edward Scissorhands,” “Batman”) has achieved notoriety as one of the most visually exciting directors of the last decade. He’s also earned a reputation for creating some of the darker films of that era.
While this movie is darker than the norm, as well as visually amazing, it doesn’t look like a Tim Burton movie. It’s loud and flashy, but the visuals are as though Burton pulled back, restraining himself from his full visual scope in an attempt to keep the film accessible to viewers.
In the end, the movie is difficult to pin down. There are few characters to root for - while Ari helps Leo escape, Leo doesn’t concern himself with what will happen to her after he is gone. Leo doesn’t want to change the apes’ planet - he just wants to go home. His destruction of their way of life is simply based on the fact that he wants out of it, while everyone around him is trying to deal with the idea that more can exist.
Fans of the original will also be disappointed in the ending sequence, while new “apes” viewers could simply be left scratching their heads. It’s a confusing final twist, and it may be a while before anyone really understands what it means. Where the classic gave us that memorable image (which I won’t ruin here) in the final seconds, this one falls short.
“Planet of the Apes” manages to confuse, excite and entertain. The social commentary is there, although not as heavy as the 1968 version. Just when an audience begins to question the role of humans on our planet, there’s a big, loud crash to distract us. Despite all the shortcomings, the scope and ambition give us something to watch, examine and enjoy.
