First off, a commendation to those responsible for dvd production. Though slightly repetitive, the two disks have all the fact's needed to be a planet-ite. I have said many times before that when something is created to display a world of its own there is no room for speculation. Unfortunately with Apes pluses come many, many minuses. Pluses: Tim Roth, completely disappearing and submerging into the dark, evil Thade, carries the entire film on his shoulder's. Applause to costume, art, make-up, stunt coordination, and FX department's. If your soul purpose in seeing Planet is the visionary, then be prepared for many new and improved distinction's. Micheal Clark Duncan seperates himself from his Green Mile counterpart to portray Thade's right hand general in warfare. Helena Bodham Carter (stunning in Hamlet, incredible in The Theory of Flight) plays a daughter of councel, and is perhaps the most attractive ape ever on the screen. Danny Elfman pulls of yet another unique and jungle-like soundtrack full of rhythm's and vicious war music. Once you see how Tim Burton placed Planet on Celluloid you will see a reason to appreciate the terrific editing.
Minuses: The screenwriter('s) need to be choked for the absolute and obvious denial of the human character's. There are three main character's that, I don't even know if they were named, have no real purpose whatsoever. When watching the scenes with Wahlberg running away with Carter in the escape scenes, these pointless humans tag along and provide nothing for the film. They are needless. A boy, fiesty as all boys are in a jungle setting, stays through the entire picture only to be trapped beneath a horse at the end for a photo opportunity of a fleet of on-coming apes. The "lead" female doesn't say two words, only looks at Wahlberg as if he should mate with her, and hurts her feelings when he pays more attention to the Carter character. That's all she's supposed to do right? Why not cut two minutes out of the film and not have her at all? She is there to look concerned. Period. Her Father, played well, get's killed off in a supposedly tear jerking off-camera slaughter. Why? To slow the bad apes down of course. Unfortunately the other character's do not understand this, as they watch his fate unfold nearly to the last second. How long does one fragile old man pospone the demise of his daughter, Wahlberg, and the other's? Nearly an entire second! Cheers! But ofcourse how does he know this, when he has been seeing their power for the entire length of his life. How many apes is he trying to "hold back"? About a hundred. Noble jesture, but as J. Cricket says, "Not at all logical." There are other human's too, but you only get glimpses of them as they are systematically killed off.
Not even Wahlberg get's a word in. Atleast in the original Heston had a good excuse to remain silent, he was shot in the throat. The dialogue throughout the entire film lacks both spine and brain. Perhaps someone pulled a fatality on the intellect department.
The lowest Minus - The kicker...the absolute kicker of this entire movie: Near the end Wahlberg, Carter, and the unimportant characters must rendezvous with his returning ship. They are fairly close when they come to a camp filled with Ape soldiers and red tent's. Now, this encampment is surrounded by very small hills, more like humps. A five minute walk to Alabama boys. Anyway, it is suggested to Wahlberg that they..."go around"...the camp and safely cross a creek. He will have nothing of it. "No," he says, "it will take too much time. We will wait until nightfall and steal their horses and ride straight through the center of the camp." They do this, but before breaking out and riding in a screaming rage, Wahlberg pop's a bright red flair over the camp, just in case there is any doubt of the Apes knowing that they are coming. Along the way he manages to destroy the entire camp with two torches. FATALITY!
Planet of the Apes visually, along with Roth, Duncan, and Carter, is a terrific grade "A" film. But when you Add all of the many mind blowing fault's, it's grade drops severely. Another example of matter over brains. It's too bad, because there was so much work placed in this film.
