Planet of the Apes (2001)

"Under Tim Burton's hand, this sci-fi warhorse has evolved into something splendid!  Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
"Not just worthy of comparison to the original...it's better.  Tom Roeper, Ebery & Roeper And The Movies
"...it has a surprise ending that I loved.  Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"...stunnng set and makeup design... the performances are impressive as well  Tom Coates, BBC Online
"...a spectacle, a chest-thumping Batman that uses Danny Elfman music, Burtonesque decor and great makeup effects...  Desson Howe, The Washington Post
"Not just worthy of comparison to the original...it's better.  Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
"...stunnng set and makeup design...the performances are impressive as well...  Tom Coates, BBC Film Review

Editor's Note In remaking this classic sci-fi horror film, director Tim Burton takes on a whopping challenge and succeeds. Astronaut Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg) is part of a space station crew that, in the year 2029, is conducting experiments in training genetically engineered chimps to perform complex away missions. When Leo's chimp disappears into a worm hole, Leo unadvisedly goes after him, ending up in a parallel world in which the monkeys are the keepers and humans are traded and caged like animals. It's a horrifying place, and the whole atmosphere, colored by Burton's direction and Rick Baker's incredible special effects makeup, is charged with terror. Leo becomes a heroic figure in the eyes of his defeated human brethren, and he puts his trust--and his hope for escape--in Ari (Helena Bonham Carter), a forward-thinking ape who believes in human rights. But Leo has formidable opponents in Thade (Tim Roth) and Attar (Michael Clark Duncan), two power-hungry, testosterone-charged apes who wish to rid the planet of humans altogether. This excellent rendition of PLANET OF THE APES is more than just a remake: it includes intense physicality on the part of the actors, complex mythology lacing the story, chilling philosophical realizations, and an amazing cameo by original APES star Charlton Heston. The combination of those complex parts makes for a riveting viewing experience.

	Charlton Heston
	Estella Warren
	Helena Bonham Carter
	Kris Kristofferson
	Mark Wahlberg
	Michael Clarke Duncan
	Paul Giamatti
	Tim Roth
	Pierre Boulle - Based On Novel By
	Tim Burton - Director
	Philippe Rousselot - Director of Photography
	Danny Elfman - Musical Score
	Richard D. Zanuck - Producer
	William Broyles, Jr. et al. - Screenplay

Variety
"...Rick Baker's ape makeup creations are wonderfully varied...and represent a definite leap beyond what was possible 33 years ago..." 07/30/2001 p.17-22

New York Times
"...This remake of PLANET shows a sparkling guile....The jokes and scares build to a lovely touch....Mr. Wahlberg has mastered the fine art of underplaying..." 07/27/2001 p.E1

Entertainment Weekly
"...[Roth gives] a performance of gnashing wit and ferocity....The apes in PLANET OF THE APES have character....The movie is all but destined to become Burton's second hit in a row..." 08/03/2001 p.39-40

Rolling Stone
"...These creatures snarl, swing from trees and bare their teeth with startling authenticity, and each one looks different. Baker's work is monumental..." 08/30/2001 p.131-2

Los Angeles Times
"...The key reason for Burton's preeminence is very much on display in PLANET OF THE APES, and that is his exceptional visual gift..." 07/27/2001 p.1

Washington Post 7 of 10
...Apes is a spectacle, a chest-thumping Batman that uses Danny Elfman music, Burtonesque decor and great makeup effects by Rick Baker to transport you to another world. It certainly passes the fake monkey-suit test... And yes, acting is going on, with Helena Bonham Carter particularly effective... - Desson Howe

ReelViews 7 of 10
Rick Baker's makeup is superlative, improving upon the original without obliterating its memory. No one will for a moment think of the actors as people in monkey suits, even though that's what the apes are. Mark Wahlberg gets the easy job, and he has no trouble acting equal parts stoic and heroic. Likewise, Estella Warren wears less, not more, and does an adequate job appearing beautiful and wild...Perhaps the film's finest moment occurs early in the proceedings, right after Leo has been captured by the apes. In a wink-and-a-nod reference to the original, as he grasps an ape by the leg, he is kicked away with the following rebuke: "Get your stinking hands off me, you damn dirty human!" If the entire movie had remained on the lofty level occupied by its first act, and avoided the out-of-control spiral characterizing its climax and conclusion, this version of Planet of the Apes could have bettered its predecessor. As it is, however, Burton's film is one more disappointment in a summer of lackluster "event pictures." - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 7 of 10
Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" wants to be all things to all men, and all apes. It's an action picture and a satire of an action picture. It's a comedy and then it gets serious. It's a social satire and then backs away from pushing that angle too far. It even has a weird intra-species romantic triangle in it. And it has a surprise ending that I loved...The movie could have been more. It could have been a parable of men and animals, as daring as "Animal Farm." It could have dealt in social commentary with a sting, and satire that hurt. It could have supported, or attacked, the animal rights movement...It could have, but it doesn't. It's a cautious movie, earning every letter and numeral of its PG-13 rating. Intellectually, it's science fiction for junior high school boys...The movie is great-looking. Rick Baker's makeup is convincing even in the extreme closeups, and his apes sparkle with personality and presence. The sets and locations give us a proper sense of alien awe, and there's one neat long shot of the ape city-mountain that looks, when you squint a little, like Xanadu from "Citizen Kane." - Roger Ebert