Planet of the Apes Movie Review 2001

Burton's "re-imagining" of the story looks more to the original novel by Pierre Boulle than it does to the 1968 classic. Wahlberg, as generic action hero Leo Davidson, takes over the Heston role, but with nowhere near the bravado or screen presence. Roth excels as Gen. Thade, an angry militarist with a loathing for all humans and a contempt for polite ape society. Needless to say, Leo becomes the focus for his rage. Come to think of it, all of the actors in the ape makeup do a fine job. The makeup effects, courtesy of Rick Baker, are astounding (and light-years ahead of where they were in '68), and the action moves along at a satisfyingly brisk pace. The screenplay provides plenty of sly and clever references to the original, but doesn't have its sense of social commentary (this is, after all, a summer blockbuster). What it does have is a twist ending that seems tacked on for the purpose of setting up a sequel.

Distribution

Fox Home Entertainment, PO Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213, Phone: (310)369-3900, Toll-free: 888-223-4FOX, Fax: (310)369-5811, URL: http://www.foxmovies.com/index1.html, Remarks: Also known as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 125 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Sci Fi, Astronauts, Monkeyshines, Special FX Extravaganzas: Make-Up, Special FX Wizards: Rick Baker, Slavery, Space Operas, War, General, Top Grossing Films of 2001

Screenplay

William Broyles, Larry Konner, Mark Rosenthal

Cast

Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, Estella Warren, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, David Warner, Kris Kristofferson, Erik Avari, Luke Eberl, Charlton Heston, Evan Dexter Parke, Michael Jace

Cinematography

Philippe Rousselot

Director

Tim Burton

Music

Danny Elfman

Other

Petur Hliddal, Chris Lebenzon, Sean Haworth, Philip Toolin, Colleen Atwood, Rick Heinrichs, Rick Baker, Bill George

Producer

Richard D. Zanuck, Zanuck Company, 20th Century-Fox

Awards

Golden Raspberries 2001: Worst Remake/Sequel, Worst Support. Actor (Heston), Worst Support. Actress (Warren).