Planet of the Apes (2001) - review

Tim Burton must have gotten a real kick out of getting the president of the NRA to give a speech on the evil of guns. Charlton Heston, star of the original 1968 movie, has a cameo in this remake in which he does exactly that. Planet of the Apes has less story and more visual effects than the original, which is why both the heroes and their ape sympathizers have been reduced to one each. That said, the movie has a less belligerent attitude than the original, and suggests that even humans and apes can live together in peace and harmony. Hugely annoying was Marky Mark's human love interest, a sultry blonde with silicon-injected lips and heaving breasts, who really did nothing but stand around looking gorgeous. Wahlberg's character is only too justified in preferring Helena Bonham Carter, ape or no ape. What's truly amazing about this movie is the make-up. The faces of the apes are beautifully expressive and individual. Finally, some remarks about the movie's ending. I don't think I'm surprising anyone by telling that in the original movie, Heston discovers that the Planet of the Apes is actually (drum roll please)... the Earth. But in the remake, I don't think this is the case. Wahlberg finds his crew's spaceship rather than the Statue of Liberty, and when he leaves the planet, it doesn't look like Earth. The final scene in my opinion is great. Apart from subtly referring to American slavery (which is a constant reference throughout the movie) in the form of the Lincoln Monument, it also leaves the viewer puzzled and ready for a sequel. I know I am.