Planet of the Apes (Long)

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Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes: What they wished they'd been able to do in 1968

The only remakes of classics I've seen that are actually successful are the ones which don't try to redo the whole thing from a point-by-point basis. Gus Van Sant's 1998 version of Psycho is a case in point--rather than attempt anything original, the director felt it would be safer to not only follow Hitchcock's script and camera angles, but to even place himself in the same director's cameo that Hitchcock did! I'm surprised he didn't call up Anthony Perkins and ask him if he still looked good in a dress.

Tim Burton and the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes, however, is a different matter. The two could not have been more appropriately matched in terms of creative composition: the world of the apes is here darker and more surreal than anything we have ever seen before. The apes are more vicious and hateful towards humans than anything Frank Schaffner could have inspired. The costumes and makeup are phenomenal. Everything about this movie is a selling point not only for the old school Ape movie aficionado, but today's contemporary audience.

It would be a mistake to expect the same brand of political and sociological commentary the original film brought. This is unfortunate, but being that this is a theme that has already been explored in depth, it might be wise to assume Burton wants to deliver something more entertaining. For example, he does not spend the time Schaffner spent in developing the George Taylor (Charlton Heston) character--Mark Wahlberg as Commander Leo Davidson is there simply to fill a mandatory slot. Yes, he performs stunts well, and his acting leaves us convinced he's frightened and disoriented on this new planet he has crashed upon. Within ten minutes of the film's opening, Davidson has lost a favorite astronaut chimp to a deep space magnetic storm, and acting against orders from his commanding officer, immediately sets out to locate his simian associate. He passes through a storm as well, lands his ship in a swamp, and emerges in the middle of a mass rush of humans away from ape pursuers. Burton does not play up the suspense of seeing talking apes--rightly or wrongly, he undoubtedly figures we saw the title of the movie and have some idea of what to expect. This isn't Planet of the Dogs or Planet of the Babies. We are going to see apes, and we are going to be scared of these apes.

Wahlberg is captured and imprisoned in Ape City, where humans are either slaves or house servants, pouring wine and sweeping floors amidst the derogatory comments of their captors. His rebelliousness captures the eye of other humans, including Daena (Estella Warren) and especially the eye of simian supremacist General Thade (Tim Roth). Ariel, a "humane" chimpanzee (Helen Bonham Carter) takes pity upon him and helps him escape, so he can allow his colleagues presumably searching for him to pin down his location easier. Thade, assisted by his gorilla generals (including Michael Clarke Duncan, who is completely badass), has learned of Davidson's origins by now and is more determined than ever to kill him.

Throughout these shots, we see apes as we've never seen them before--the only film that comes close to this sort of approach to upright animals would be 1996's ill-fated The Island of Doctor Moreau. Even the older apes are capable of leaping great distances, climbing limberly through their city, sprinting on all fours faster than any horse, and kicking the crap out of any human who displeases them. They growl, they screech, they even forward-roll in the manner of playful chimps, but only when it is to get them closer to some despicable human. Roth is absolutely incredible--his gravelly voice and stealthy posture convinces us that this is one anti-human ape who would gladly rip all their hearts out if given the chance.

The movie has what could be called a couple of twists and turns midway through, and Burton allegedly shot five different endings to the film, picking one pretty much lifted from the original novel (Pierre Boulle's Monkey Planet). In terms of the emotional punch of the original film's ending, any audience having such expectations in mind is going to be sorely disappointed. If Planet of the Apes 2001 is watched as strictly science fiction and adventure, even considering the whimsical resolution between the humans and the apes, the movie delivers exactly what it promises to. It's just the right length (one hour forty-five minutes) and Burton knows how to create a world that is both fantastic and realistic. Don't expect to see Wahlberg pounding the ground and yelling "You maniacs!" There is no dry, cynically scientific Dr. Zaius. Burton is taking an idea and giving his own rendition. Would that more directors remaking classics could see their way clear to do this sort of thing.

-Long

Note: For the full rundown on the classic Apes movies, plus an interesting speculation as to the tie-in between the 2001 remake and the 1968 classic, I recommend Ape City, available at http://www.ape-city.com. Take some of what they say with a grain of salt, though--in trying to coordinate between not only the films but the remake, two television series and Marvel comic, the authors have had to suspend a great deal of our disbelief.