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Sunday, 19 August, 2001, 15:51 GMT 16:51 UK
Planet of the Apes: Your views
Has Planet of the Apes evolved or regressed?
The original Planet of the Apes (1968) was a classic science fiction film and now Tim Burton has directed a new version
for 2001.
Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Wahlberg and Tim Roth star in the remake, with a cameo performance from Charlton Heston, who took the lead in the original. "There is a casualness and half-heartedness which pervades the whole film, as if director, writers and actors could not be bothered to lift the film above the mediocre," wrote BBC News Online's Darren Waters. But what do you think? Should the original have been left well alone? Or will the new Planet of the Apes capture another generation of fans?
This movie is so bad I actually have been considering boycotting bananas. Please avoid this movie at all costs, as life is too short to waste two hours of your time on it.
What a stinker!
Bad, bad, bad.
Absolutey terrible. The volume was annoyingly loud and "live cam" camera work drove me nuts.
I really enjoyed the movie, though I do feel that Tim Burton did not push his creative ability far enough in his interpretation of a classic story.
Chewing gum for the eyes! Monkeys were very convincing - except for the only real one. Ending was a damp squib - only in America! Kept my attention though - only because I loved Charlton Heston in the first one!
I'm a Brit in the US and saw the film within a few days of it coming out, and thoroughly enjoyed it. For me it was pure escapism and highly enjoyable. I thought Tim Roth was excellent and he should appeal to the ladies. My wife certainly liked him. As for me, I thought Helena Bonham Carter was extremely sexy...
I guess the only piece that might be called odd was the ending. Overall... 8 out of 10.
Martin, UK The cameo by Heston was priceless - the single best reason to see the film.
Outstanding. The film has a real sense of purpose and you can tell so much effort has gone into making it something special. It's not a remake; it's a different spin on an unique story.
It has got some good bits, the sets are creative, though the scale is sometimes a bit cramped. Tim Roth is great, I particularly liked Heston's Cameo.
Overall, it's an enjoyable film that everyone will judge against their nostalgia. I sometimes think audiences are getting to expect too much, anyhow, I liked it.
Good and very entertaining.
I quite enjoyed the film. It was not as good as the original, but it was nearly as good. The special effects were realistic. Also, there appeared to be a dark side to the apes and the film as a whole (very reminiscent of the new Marvel Comics as compared to the pre-1980 comics).
Nice movie. Question: if the apes have evolved advanced brains, why did they not change physically?
Boring movie.
No new ideas, just a few old computer tricks.
They shouldn't have bothered.
J. Frances, USA As always, Tim Burton spent way too much time on the look and design of the movie and not nearly enough time on the script. The result is a predictable piece of hokum that, after the first half hour, was tedious to watch.
Of course, let's not forget the abysmal ending. Maybe someday Mr Burton will explain what the heck happened. Unfortunately, by that time almost nobody will care, having forgotten this piece of drivel long ago.
Tim Burton's effort must be commended here. It is not possible to match the content or the quality as delivered in the previous version.
By working on a new scenario totally different from the previous one he has succeeded in captivating our imagination. The end of the movie though not as effective as the previous version is chilly - he has adapted the movie pretty much to the new generation of viewers who have moved away from a macho image to a more sober, intellectual and mild image.
Up until the last few minutes the film was quite good. Yet its ending was a joke. What a disappointment! The last few minutes should be cut out.
I agree with what Mr Waters says. This film is simply not good enough. A lot can be expanded, but no-one seems bothered.
Overall, it is a rushed movie. I wouldn't say that it is a bad idea to remake the movie, but to make one like this is a joke. The director needs to think more. Hopefully, if there is Part II (which I assume there is, due to the ending), it will be a dramtic improvement.
Watch the trailer, reminisce the older version, and walk away. Otherwise risk falling asleep as I and my family did. The five-year-old's fascincation with the apes was maintained throughout, but then the zoo would have been a better place for that.
Not only was I humiliated to be in the audience at the "screening" but even more ashamed that I thought I would like it.
Graphics seem to be from yesterday's technology...more like the late 80s.
Movie was not gripping and story could have been better.
This film had better sound effects and make up than the first. I enjoyed the movie, but I don't think that Tim Burton could have done more because it is like what everyone is saying, it is only a remake.
Having said that, I'd recommend seeing it... Tim Roth puts on a good performance. The makeup is excellent and.. well.. it's a remake of a classic.
This new version of the movie deserves a 2/10 relative to the initial one produced 34 years ago. The looks of the apes were unrealistic, their expressions insipid and the script was foolish.
As a work of art, dreadful. Leave your critical faculties at the door. As a Saturday afternoon matinee for the kids, hey, it's OK.
Perhaps I don't go to the movies often enough or perhaps I am just not intelligent, but I am still puzzled about the ending. What on earth happened? By the way, I wasn't around for the original so cannot compare the two.
The film was flat. The special effects were great, especially the apes, but where was the tension? Where were the dramatic moments?
Too true - the film was painfully average, and was unable to carry off some of the embarrassingly tacky dialogue.
On the up side, some of the acting, sets and camera work were very good, with a strong performance from Helena Bonham Carter, although Mark Wahlberg never looks too comfortable.
The plot was simplistic, there was no suspense, and the 'twists' were just too transparent. The action sequences were dull and uninspired, and as for the monkeys bouncing around as if they were on springs!
The only saving grace is that it might spark some interest in the orginals, and we'll get them repeated on TV!
The make up is good but I was a little bored and I say that rather sadly because I really like Tim Burton's ideas and the actors' guts for taking on the parts in the first place.
Safe to say, I won't be shouting about it in the staff room on Monday.
If a friend is choking on food and you cannot perform the Heimlich Manouvre, immediately force them to watch at least the ending of this film. Guaranteed to induce a gag reflex in 90% of the population. What a complete waste of time, money and celluloid. Tim Burton has sadly joined the ranks of American directors who follow the Schmaltz-formula - a dash of Americanism, a soupcon of syrup and no story or acting worth writing about.
Does everything for the American audience have to be so spoon-fed?
It should have been left alone. Burton's trying to make monkeys of all of us. And the original make up was better...
Absolute garbage!
Good effects but the story is terrible. The original was much better. Wait for the video.
This has got to be one of the most over-hyped and overrated films of all time. This film was so bad, it bordered upon the hysterical. Was it meant to be a comedy, because if it was, it beat American Pie 2 hands down!
I feel like an ape for going to see it. The take away message? When you absolutely do not know what to do while making a movie go ahead and bank on parallel universe and time travel... again!
It sucked.
I enjoyed the movie for what it is (a movie about speaking monkeys), but thought some of the dialogue was a bit farcical. Essentially Burton has done a great job with the effects and scenery but the movie stumbles a bit with the plot and dialogue which is a shame as it will be compared to the original.
Enjoyable but light!
I don't think Planet of the Apes was worth the price of the movie ticket. It was a slow and primarily uninspiring effort.
The end was absolutely lame. Even the effects were just not there. Let's hope no one ever considers a sequel to this one. Big surprise that Charlton Heston couldn't even do his five minute cameo appearance without having a gun nearby - when is that guy going to wake up and smell the roses?
Nice costumes but let down by a terrible script and plot holes. A real shame.
Burton's undoubted talent as a quirky character director do not carry over to the more complex set pieces and sweeping landscapes of this movie. It is on the whole perfectly adequate but no more. On the other hand Tim Roth is once again brilliant, and the use of some awareness of chimp psychology in drawing up his character was well worth it.
I loved the original and almost all of Tim Burton's previous work. But this is a bit of a damp squib really. Sorry Tim.
This was an entertaining movie, but it seemed that the script had been left aside in favour of creating impressive looking and realistic apes. Not bad, but lacked real spark.
In simple (and decent) words, this movie sucks. It is so illogical.
Bad make-up. Bleak storyline. Strange casting.
The biggest load of rubbish I have ever seen. Initial reviews in the US were OK. Go spend those hard earned pounds elsewhere!
Very predictable and forgettable. After the initial glitz you were left with a hollow feeling wondering what Tim Burton was thinking when he filmed the ending. The ending itself made absolutely no sense and detracted from the already weak storyline.
This was definitely a movie in need of a script.
The new movie is fantastic as far as the special effects are concerned, and the story is suitable for escapist summer movie viewing. If you are expecting a deep, thought provoking experience you should look towards other movies (good luck).
It's great right up until the end. I believe Tim Burton filmed a number of alternative endings. He should have used one of the others.
He made the female apes too human - compare the superb make-up of Tim Roth's Thade with Helena Bonham Carter.
Definitely the product of a mentally-challenged, and money-driven team. Acting is dismal, there is no plot, their version of the story is simplistic and boring, and the ending... well, only in America can a senseless story end on such a stupid, not to say insulting, note.
Definitely NOT your father's Planet of the Apes. Tim Burton has added novel twists to a familiar story and has playfully - but respectfully - paid homage to a classic of pop culture.
However, the use of anagrams for names - Thade/Death; Semos/Moses - was a little too much in the way of symbolism.
I just couldn't believe how bad it was.
MTB, USA (British) Don't go see it. It sucks. Wahlberg is très weak. The story twist is stupid. It might ruin your enjoyment of the original if you haven't seen it already.
Appalling!
I quite enjoyed Planet of the Apes. I was not expecting it to make a social point, and
was not searching for the dark and subversive film that most of the reviewers seem to
have wanted. How edgy can a film about talking apes be?
It's a different story to the original but the novelty of the idea of the servant apes becoming the masters of the humans has long been entrenched in our minds and is worn out.
I did enjoy the film for its special effects and more or less until the last 30 minutes. I still don't get the ending and even if there is some rational explanation, films of this genre are not supposed to get us racking our brains trying to figure them out.
The movie was entertaining. That's all a movie needs to be nowadays, captivate a moviegoer for an hour. It is interesting to see what Tim Burton can do with a real budget. In any case, I was entertained, holes in the story line or not, and that's what counts.
We watched this movie some four weeks ago; we were hugely disappointed, as it appeared to fall well short of the original, in content and style. Better off going to see Jurassic Park 3.
The acting was fine but the scenery looked like a TV set, the end of the story was just lame and there was a distinct lack of dialogue. And lastly, why could the humans still speak if most of their ancestors were killed in their original battle?
I definitely think that they should have left well enough alone. The movie had no real purpose except to showcase special effects.
The characters had no real passion - the humans of this other world were intelligent enough to speak and reason, but not to work to overcome their enemies. They should have delved deeper into the idea of genetic manipulation and its dangers.
I may be bucking the trend, but I actually enjoyed the film. The original is a classic, but this is just as good.
But do remember to leave a couple of minutes before the end...
I felt it was a very well constructed film although the ending was a little timid. The performances however were excellent by all the cast. A sinister tale of power and control well acted yet predictable towards the end.
Dom, Canada
The trailer was excellent, and it's all you need. Go and see another film that is also showing the trailer and save some money.
Saw it in Mexico a few weeks ago and walked out after 45 mins - total rubbish. Terrible script and the way the monkeys joked/behaved was laughable.
Yet another example of effects and money over substance.
No way near as good as the original. The ending of the new film was predictable as well whereas the old version was spine chilling. I would say it deserved an Oscar for the costumes/make up but nothing more. Enjoyed Chuck though ! All in all 6/10. Better luck next time Tim.
Apart from the Apes make-up and movement, I must say that this is a below average film compared with the original.
Tim Burton has made some superb movies (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow) and some non-descript big-budget schlock for the MidWest. The best that can be said for Planet of the Apes is that I hope he earned enough money to make another good film, preferably with Johnny Depp. Oh, and Tim Roth is rather amusing.
Stella, USA
The movie is an eventless one, might impress those who have never seen the Apes series, personally I thought it drained my pocket of 10 precious dollars.
Typical Hollywood fare to be avoided for those who like a good story, character development, plot or depth. A film whose only reason for existence is to cash in on a old classic. Save yourself, do not see it.
When filmmakers resort to re-doing old films or making films based on successful TV series, you know the talent pool in Hollywood has shrunken to zero. This ape film was a stinker. Rent the originals on CD and forget about this one.
This movie was an insult to the original. Don't make a monkey of yourself and watch this so called movie.
Much ado about nothing.
Another two hours of the standard formula - good special effects let down by poor scripts, corny lines (especially Charlton's limited contribution) and some ham acting. Lifted only slightly above very poor by Tim Roth and Helena.
Not a patch on the original 60s classic.
Obviously made for the masses and it will never attain the cult following of the original. Tim Roth was excellent, one can only imagine he did it purely for the cash. This is the last Tim Burton film I will pay to watch, Sleepy Hollow was garbage too and heads did indeed roll. I fell asleep five minutes into that one.
Doctorir, UK
I thought that sadly, Mark Wahlberg wasn't up to playing a lead role which had the responsibility of carrying a film with a weak script and even weaker plot.
Should win the Oscars for Best Comedy next year.
The ending was a big disappointment.
Exciting, amusing and definitely worth seeing,
As a piece of tosh it was pretty good, but not a movie that will expand your mind. I enjoyed the irony of Chuck Heston's being down on guns and the occasional reference to this original. Helena Bonham Carter looked like Michael Jackson... couldn't get the thought out of my mind...
A triumph of hype over content. A poor, poor film that is going to make mega money.
One of the main themes of the original film was that Heston was the only human who could talk and hence it was easy for the apes to treat the humans of their world as animals. In this film every human can talk which proves intelligence, to a degree, and it is therefore much harder for the humans to be treated as animals.
On the good side, great make up effects. Hmm, OK, that's the only good thing.
David, UK
They can keep my $10.50 but I want
the two hours of my life back!
A promising start for the first few minutes, and convincing effects, but rapidly degenerates into a predictable, implausible cheesy waste of money. A typical '12' film.
Dreadful!
There was absolutely nothing to redeem this film. Helena was annoying, Marky Mark was markedly average and Tim Roth was playing about 15 shots below par.
The ending was nonsense, but it didn't come as a surprise as the whole film was too.
I am so annoyed that I was looking forward to this garbage!
This film should win an Oscar. Outstanding contribution by Tim Roth. Tim Burton should also be awarded a Grammy for best director. This has got to be the movie of the year. Well done Tim.
I have been a fan of the so called 'ape-genre' since the early 70s. Tim Burton has turned a ground-breaking and thought-provoking masterpiece into a 12-certificate made for TV movie. Tim Roth is superb - no argument. The make-up and special effects are excellent. So why sacrifice the script and storyline? The main thing the modern re-hash lacks is fear. At no point do you think Marky-Mark is not going to survive. And the surprise twist ending is so pitiful and full of holes that you could argue for a thousand years that it is so improbable as to make it impossible. What a waste! It could have been so much better.
Please, no sequels - time for Boulle's masterpiece to rest in peace!
Sonny, UK
A good B-grade movie - well worth the money. I thought the start and end were both a bit lame, but the action on the planet was pretty good, the effects good (as they should be), and generally well presented.
I was a fan of the original, and follow-ups, and this one did not disappoint me.
It is a relief to see that most of the reviews here hit the nail on the head.
In the context of what is compelling raw material (i.e the original novel and film), this has to be one of the worst and most contemptible films ever made. Avoid.
I thought the film was good entertainment, and Bonham Carter has never looked lovelier or more appealing! But the ending was pathetic Hollywood rubbish that left one wishing they had stopped the film two minutes earlier.
We saw the movie at the weekend and enjoyed it. It was good entertainment, sometimes people seem to lose sight of the fact that this is surely a movie's prime purpose. We liked the ending as it made you think about what had happened and what could happen next. 10 out of 10, great fun and a good laugh!
I must say I rather liked the film, although I prefer the original. The ending was a real anti-climax.
Far too moody, typical Tim Burton. The storyline ran too quick, it all just "fell into place", no relationships were allowed to form properly to establish a bond, or 'glue' for the storyline. The original is far, far better. Save your money and wait until it comes out on video.
An absolute turkey. How anyone can say this is a good film is beyond me. Truly abysmal. Charlton should be ashamed of himself for being associated with such drivel.
Utter rubbish! The make-up was much more flexible than the 1960s but I really didn't like the feeling that I could see the actors' faces behind the make-up. It was impossible to believe these were apes instead of men in make-up.
Based on the box office success so far, it seems audiences today care little or not at all about story and characters. At no point in the movie did I care about any character in any way.
Paul, USA
A complete pile of rubbish. Why does Hollywood continue to feed us this rubbish (apart from making millions from the stupidity of most film goers that is)?
Loved it.
Tim Roth is brilliant!
Watch the trailers and you've seen most of the film - except the ending which really is not worth the wait.
Don't wait for the video - give it another couple of months and it should be on TV!
Fantastic, best summer flick so far.
Those of you who want plots to be deep miss the whole point of a summer blockbuster, this was very entertaining, visually spot on.
The ending was a nightmare. Did the spaceman fall asleep or did the screenwriter?!
Tai, USA
This is the only film I have seen in the cinema where I've seen people walk out half way through.
Not the worst film I've ever seen, but up there in the top ten.
The ending was pointless, crass and totally at odds with the rest of what passed for a plot.
Truly awful. Holes in the plot you could drive a tank through, hammy acting, weak script, little originality. If you want to see it my advice is wait for the video release and watch it after the pub, it will amuse!
Don't blame the "American" public for Hollywood's inability to create a decent film with believable dialogue, convincing actors and a real-life historical storyline that actually sticks to the truth (this one doesn't apply to these Apes, but to many recent war films).
I'm about as American as anyone here would care to get...and I'm equally fed up with it too.
Here's an idea - let's blame the Canadians!
Went to see Planet of the Apes last night and enjoyed myself. The film is stunning in its special effects and visual style but the plot and characters were weak, and the best parts of the entire film were the reinventions of scenes from the original film.
John Homer, UK
A truly terrible film, saved only by the score (Danny Elfman) and the costumes. Tim Burton needs to revisit his previous films like Scissorhands and Batman before he embarks on another...
Why are people complaining about the ending? Don't get me wrong, it was a bad film, but the ending was there to keep it open for a sequel and, as is mostly the case nowadays, probably a trilogy!
I personally thought the ending was the best bit and no doubt it will all be explained, that is if the sequels get the green light!
Do they still have scriptwriters in America? The script of this movie seems to have been written by apes (sorry if that offends apes). Tim Burton, do us all a favour and hire some writers next time!
Could have been a great film. An excuse to eat popcorn but little else. There are a couple of humorous moments, but I fail to understand why so little effort was put in to make this film a classic. If it's meant to be a comedy, make it funny - even 12-year-olds have a good sense of humour!
Possibly the least thought out ending to a film I've ever seen.
Why did they do this to a classic? Tim Roth was not acting and the story was weak. The humans talk (and wear a good line in make-up and pushup bras!)
But most of all what was the end all about? I am not a stupid person but I can't explain how that would have occurred.
Mark Wahlberg wasn't particularly harsh to his apes and mirroring this, the apes weren't that harsh to the humans in the film - deadening any chance of Mark Wahlberg being horrified at either treatments. Also missing was the impression that he was particularaly devastated by the social parallels between the two cultures.
All in all - very watchable, but in no way as clever or as moving as the original.
The make-up was fantastic but the volume was too loud. Overall, the plot was half-hearted and never really seemed to get going. On the plus side, I haven't laughed so much in ages! I'm not convinced that was what Tim Burton intended though.
The film is awful. It is a complete insult to the original. he apes were characterless. It was Starship Troopers with apes. Why would an ape fancy a human man? That is beastiality. How come it only took the pilot minutes to get back to Earth? Pathetic. Don't waste your money.
I agree with Nicole's comment: Mark Wahlberg's puzzled expression at the end summed it up for me. Otherwise, it was good watching Tim Roth thoroughly enjoying himself. Better than Pearl Harbor and Jurassic Park 3.
Standard Hollywood drivel, which will only succeed because it steals the title of a much loved classic.
Shame on you Tim Burton, we expected better.
I saw the film this weekend and overall thought it was good. It wasn't as exciting as I hoped but hey, it's only a remake. Anyway, Tim Roth was fantastic as the evil Thade, the make-up was superb, the ending a bit silly - another sequel I presume - and don't forget...bow your head!
The movie was OK but you get the feeling that the director and the writers wanted the movie to finish quickly, also I couldn't understand the ending, it didn't make sense. Overall good to watch, but don't get your hopes high as it's not like the orginal one.
Bored. Nothing particularly happens, no particular plot development, Tim Burton seems to have fallen into the same trap as Lucas - dumbing down subject matter for studio profit. Watched Sleepy Hollow last night just to reassure myself he had ever been a good filmmaker.
The film was..erm..OK throughout, the special effects made good eye candy and Tim Roth certainly played a good role. The ending was absolutely dismal however. Not only did it seem as if Tim Burton was trying to fit a ridiculously 'cheesy' ending into five minutes, but it was so blatantly made for a sequel that it made me sick. One final thing - how does Helena Bonham Carter still manage to look gorgeous, even when made up as a chimp?
Marc, UK
Where did all the horses come from?
I went to see it last night expecting the worst and I came out wondering what all the fuss is about. It's a great film, with nice Burton-esque visuals. The apes have all got great character and the humans are shallow and boring - wasn't that supposed to be the point?
Some people seem incredibly offended by it and I have no idea where this resentment has come from - it's not like it was Independence Day or anything!
I didn't think this film was too bad. Certainly not a classic, but a bit of fun. The ending did confuse me, though, but maybe I'm just stupid.
So bad the audience started laughing at the film, not with it.
Aside from the dreadful, pointless ending, this film is probably the best of an average bunch of summer blockbusters. Mark Wahlberg is a bit weak as a hero, and more could have been made of Michael Clark Duncan, but otherwise the apes are brilliantly realised. Comparisons with the original are unfair as this is essentially a completely new movie - but nevertheless the original was better.
Olga De Feo, UK
I can't think of the words right now to express how bad this film is and I've wasted enough of my life already on it. Save yourselves.
I'm usually very critical about movies but, for an American film, I quite enjoyed it.
The ending was an utter disappointment though - it should have been done a whole lot better. Why American films always have to be spoilt in this way I don't know.
The dialogue (what little there was) was embarrassing. With the exception of Tim Roth and the ex-general ape who protected Bonham Carter, I did not give a monkey's (sorry!) for any of the characters presented in this film. Oh, apart from the monkey astronaut who seemed to get a rough deal throughout! Why was Kristofferson so criminally under-used? He appeared, he was caught, he escaped, he was killed. Could anyone care?! Why did Bonham Carter have feelings towards Wahlberg?
The script was so much of a secondary issue to this
film that there was no effort made to make us care
about the characters.
There was no craft and no guile.
Very disappointing.
Disappointing ending. It would have been better to have Mark Wahlberg go back in time to prevent the whole thing happening, and save us from the inevitable sequel.
Nicola, UK
This was such a terrible film. The script was awful: an ape saying "I am having a bad hair day" is just one example. The plot was non-existent. There were so many holes it was incredible (where did the horses come from, why did the apes have such a large army, and why did they have armour are just a few examples). Please, please, please save your money for something else.
Only in America could they have made such a lame film! The plot was very poor, make up very good and the chimp saving the day by falling out of the sky at the exact moment - Wow! I believed it, not! Also the ending just screamed "See you all for the sequel". Best bit was the trailer for Lord of the Rings!
Please Hollywood, only remake something if you can improve on the original. This film is a waste of money, a waste of effort and a huge waste of time!
Just like the Phantom Menace this film suffers from a weak story, poor acting and the need for at least 20 minutes of heavy editing. Yes, some of the apes look cool but that doesn¿t hold your imagination or make up for the script.
Why do people have problems with the ending? I won't spoil it but just think about it, it's not that hard!
Daniel Shariatmadari, UK
The first hour was very slow moving and I was practically falling asleep. I wish I'd walked out and the whole movie was quite boring overall.
I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It was the surprise movie at the 55th Edinburgh International Film Festival and the audience loved it! The make-up was tremendous, and I thought it was a master stroke to set it up as a prequel to the original. As well as explaining the origins of the intelligent apes, it didn't conflict with events in the earlier films. And as for the ending - I loved it! Very dark in true Tim B fashion.
I watched the film last night and I tried to explain the plot to a friend the next morning and found it very difficult. The make-up was fantastic, and Helena Bonham-Carter was good, but the ending was appalling. On the whole the film left me thinking "how is that ending possible?" I can understand that Tim Burton wants to keep his options open for making a sequel, but the ending to the movie will take a lot of explaining, not to mention money.
Visually entertaining only. The film didn't even come close to the original. Some of the characters were portrayed as typical American actors in rubber suits... totally unconvincing. The special effects were nothing special, the ending was rubbish, overall...a generous 3/10.
Unfortunately it does not match the original, which was downright frightening. I was never really concerned about the outcome and didn't have much sympathy for Leo - even though I generally like Mark Wahlberg as an actor. The ending was baffling and didn't add up.
In all - a mixed bag. Not a waste of time but don't expect to be intellectually challenged except by wondering about the odd ending.
It's a total crime that they sacrificed the strongest aspect of the original - the plot - for special effects.
What a waste! It is not the worst film I have seen, but so much more could have been achieved if they had actually had a plot and a decent ending. I also left the cinema wondering if the film had actually been directed by Tim Burton (does he have an identical twin with a much more restricted intellectual capacity that I don't know about?)
I will be telling all my friends and colleagues about this - but unfortunately only to tell them to avoid seeing this disastrous film. Plot? Terrible (and yes, the ending will go down in history as one of the worst). Script? Abysmal (at the level of bad B-movies). Acting? Well, let's just say that if you wanted good acting you wouldn't cast Mark Wahlberg as the lead. And for added insult, the ending is an obvious lead for a sequel. Help!
Michael Plevin, England
I really enjoyed the film but why the ending? It was so awful it made me cringe. It just demonstrates how a good enjoyable film can become completely ludicrous in less than 30 seconds!
The best comedy of the year - I nearly cried with laughter. I won't need to see the Parole Officer now.
Had low expectations given the advanced word on the street. Therefore very surprised by just how good the film was. True, it's not in the same class as the original but as mindless summer blockbusters go this is a must-see. The end is a 'bolt on' from which the movie gains little other than a statement of intent regarding a sequel.
Some observations: Mark Wahlberg's economy of expression is to be admired - I don't think I've ever seen a single expression (furrowed brow - open mouth) used for an entire movie before. That blonde lady with the pneumatic chest appears to be in the wrong movie - she certainly has no part to play in this one. I am gald I went though - the trailer for Lord of the Rings was very entertaining.
The original movie was pretty silly and implausible. However, this was largely irrelevant as the plot was primarily character-driven and allergorical in nature. The new version appears to have focused on amplifying the degree of silliness and implausibilty to the detriment of every other aspect of the film. Even as no-brained escapism, which is all I was expecting, I found the film a let-down. The plot was predictable and taken straight from the dummies' guide to sci-fi fantasy scripting (copywright 1981).
Even the unexpected twist ending is predictable once you know that there is an "unexpected twist ending" coming up.
Definitely one to watch just so that you can slag it off to all your friends before they have a chance to see it.
Looking for that Tim Burton magic? You ain't gonna get it. Looking for the Tim Burton quirky characters? You ain't gonna get it. But if you just want two hours of easy action and humorous fun? Then it's all here.
Saw this yesterday in a packed cinema and everybody enjoyed it. I think you would be misguided to compare this to the original if it is one of your favourites. The story was basic but the monkeys were brilliant to watch, and the monkey characterisation was thrilling. Why would you take the film seriously anyway? With hindsight, I do think the ending was a bit lazy, but I've recommended it to everyone I know.
Considering all the bad press I'd heard about this film, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. It could have used a lot of tightening up in terms of the story, but I did enjoy the twist at the end.
Tim was on a hiding to nothing by remaking a classic. I also gather he was forced to edit the movie to make sure the kids could get in (and presumably buy all that lovely merchandise for Christmas). Hope there is a director's cut and we see Tim's true vision... Not a bad film, just poor.
Neal Root, UK
This is a great movie! I have seen it twice already.
People on this page are expecting some kind of deep masterpiece, but let's just remember to suspend a bit of belief, escape for a couple of hours and enjoy. After all, this is a movie about a planet ruled by talking apes!
Strikingly similar to 2001 Earth really!
I feel so embarrassed for looking forward to this. If only the reviewers were less dependent on there own careers and wrote truthfully about what drivel this film was, then I could have saved my wasted £5 and bought a few beers. The worst film I have ever seen, and when will the American filmmakers learn that such endings are the reason for the distaste of their movies? Not good PR!
"Ape shall not kill ape" but they should have killed this movie long before it ever got released.
What a disappointment. As a big fan of Burton, I was expecting an awful lot more. The plot was formulaic and uninspired; the acting wooden at best. I felt sorry for Tim Roth whose whole purpose seemed to be an increasingly ridiculous repetoire of snarling and teeth-grinding. I was doing plenty of the latter at the 'surprise twist' ending - oh dear. And I must agree with an earlier comment that the sound mix was uncomfortably loud.
Apetastic, how anyone can say this movie is boring is beyond belief. The sets, make-up and action scenes were superbly realised by Burton and he has crafted an alternative version which is much nearer the novel than the original movies. This movie was far more enjoyable and entertaining than many of the so called summer blockbusters of the past few years. (Try sitting through X-Men without falling asleep).
Alicia O'Grady, Ireland
What a disappointment, the Oscar is in the bag for the make-up but at what price? Dreadful dialogue, weak characters and an implausible and lazy ending. Thank you Hollywood for another summer blockbuster turkey.
The moral of this movie
is that American is
better, blonde is better,
and blonde American
is best.
What on earth was all that about? I have not had so much fun taking the mickey out of a film on the way home for a long time.
Why the long, tearful goodbyes at the end? They hardly spoke to each other.
Why hadn't someone dusted the calima sign?
Why was the gun in a big red egg?
Why hadn't the apes developed boats?
The visual effects in this film are very good. I was confused by the ending but I am sure I will find out what happens next in Planet Of The Apes 2. You should surely waste your money on this film!
As usual, the remake was not as good as the original.
Make-up ok for male apes though not that much improvement in 30 years, female apes looked ridiculous - far too human. Mark Wahlberg's character lacked passion, didn't seem that surprised to be on a planet ruled by talking apes, also lost impact as he didn't stand out from the other humans, and why was he followed round by a made-up leggy model?
Not your typical Tim Burton flick, there's colour for a start... Fantastic makeup, incredible blending of CGI and actors that can actually act (well most of them, some performances were a bit stilted but these were generally the human characters, not the apes).
However, it's yet another film with a terrible ending, please, if you are going to see this film leave around five minutes from the end.
You'll wish you had otherwise...
Boring, flat, no character development. Looked great though. Tim Burton is regressing, he needs to go back to small budget, big concept films.
Clare Farthing, UK
I found the film severly lacking not just something, but everything. From the directing to the script, the whole exercise gave the impression that the audience would simply 'buy it' without questioning what went on - how wrong they were! The film left too many questions unanswered, Mark Walberg, with the weak script he was given, didn't have the weight on screen to drag the film along. Tim Roth was the one highlight. This film was as fulfilling as eating a bowl of air.
Simply beneath contempt. Planet of the Apes has terrible characterisation, a tracing-paper thin plot and an ending so monumentally implausible that it'll stick in your throat like a fishbone. Also, 0/10 for the thinly veiled ideas stolen from black US slavery (house humans and field humans/do humans have souls?) This film is so unbelieveably dire that everyone involved from Burton down must know it's a stinker - yet they still encourage us to go see it. Hmmm.
This film is unfit for human consumption ¿ it may cause drowsiness, anger, or vomiting so please, please, please don't pay to see this movie... otherwise, how will Hollywood learn to stop serving us half-baked turkeys?
The film was utterly daft - but then the original was not really a cerebral masterpiece.
The thing which got me, though, was Heston's dying speech. If the pistol is the most noble piece of technology that humanity has ever crafted then we all might as well pack it in now and give this place back to the monkeys!
The film kept me hooked throughout, but for what? A mediocre, dismal ending. Great film, shame about the last ten minutes.
A feast for the eyes, two hours rest for the brain. Can't Hollywood do intelligent action films?
Worth seeing as a summer film if you don't compare it to the original.
The original was far better and I was disappointed about the dumbing down of the film, obviously done for children. Why must we ruin classics just to fit a wider audience?
The slave trader in Planet of the Apes is laughable, you could compare him to Jar-Jar Binks from Star Wars.
The originals were dark and scary, but kids still loved them. Let people get behind the sofa again and give us some real drama.
I don't know what everyone finds so awful about this film. I haven't seen the original (this may have helped), but I was gripped throughout, the special effects and make-up were excellent, and what was predictable about the plot? The ending was interesting, too; my girlfriend and I sat talking for over an hour afterwards about how that could have happened. I say ignore all these whingers and go and see the film.
How can anyone find this movie confusing? The plot is essentially the same. It is obviously different from the original classic with the usual Burton Twist.
It was a good film but nothing to write home about.
Fabulous! Fantastic costumes and scenery, nice twist in the middle. A refreshing look at a classic storyline.
What a pity - all the budget was spent on the ape costumes and little on the script. (It took tok three people to come up with it).
Although the film was good in some places it dragged in others. I expected a lot more from a director of Tim Burton's reputation.
Alexander, UK
Great make-up.... but that's all that can be said for a truly awful film. The plot is weak, the ending is laughable, in fact there are 'serious' moments in the film that had people in the audience laughing they were so bad. The film had so much potential and yet became an extremely dull action/war flick which was so shallow I almost left before the ridiculous ending.
Quite how they are going to make a sequel out of that I don't know, however, I would suggest to Tim Burton that he steers well clear. One last point, if the planet was uninhabited until the apes and humans crash-landed... where did the horses come from?
Absolute rubbish, what a waste of money. The worst film I have seen all year and that's saying something!
I got quite a kick out of it, everything from the delicious ape make-up to some of the wonderful sets. This is one movie that is going to be replaying in my head quite a few times, and I consider the admission ticket to be money well spent. Thank you, Tim Burton, for another piece of visual delight.
According to probability, if you give a million monkeys a million typewriters, then eventually they will come up a decent film. Mr Burton should have tried it.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear... Mark Wahlberg seems to have progressed little further than his portrayal of Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights, leaving Tim Roth's impossibly evil General Thain as the only watchable screen presence in the entire movie. Budgetry constraints must also have played a part, as the forest from Sleepy Hollow appears to have a cameo along with Charlton Heston... Hopefully it is all just a blip on the radar for an otherwise brilliant director.
We all know this average film is going to do really well, simply because everyone is expecting everything that was good about the 60' version combined with the fruits of everything that's been developed since in terms of special effects. If you're looking for a good film you're not going to get it. If you're looking for talking apes that look real you're not going to get it. Unbelievably, the 60s make-up effects were better! The female characters looked like they'd had flesh-coloured plasticine put on their face with a couple of airholes punched through so they could still breathe. I was looking forward to this too, since the old film was clever, original and made you think... all this one makes you think is "When is it going to be over?"
You can do better than this, Tim - why aren't you?
High hopes dashed; Burton should have left well enough alone, if this was the best he could do. And where did the horses come from, eh?
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