What will he find out there, doctor?
His destiny.
Oh, my God.
They did it.
They actually remade "Planet Of The Apes"!
Starring Mark Whalberg?!
You maniacs!
You made it up.
Oh...
God damn you!
God damn you all to hell!
This is Movie Night!
Hello, and welcome to Movie Night - I'm your host, Jonathan Paula.
Tonight, as promised - I'll be taking a look at the four remaining films in the "Planet
Of The Apes" franchise, which will include updated reviews of "Rise" and "Dawn", which
I first featured back when they were initially released.
And I even changed my score on one, so stay tuned!
First up though, let's talk about the remake.
They should have left it alone.
Released in the summer of 2001 - this $100 million dollar sci-fi action film is another
ambitious mistake from director Tim Burton - which somehow managed more than a quarter-billion
in profit.
When an Air Force astronaut crash lands on a mysterious planet he inadvertently inspires
a revolution between primitive humans and their talking-ape masters.
A baby-faced Marky-Mark Wahlberg leads the group as best he can, but he's drastically
out of his depth in this big budget adventure - reciting corny one-liners like, "Never send
a monkey to do a man's job." and, "I'm going to go get my chimp."
Tim Roth portrays a sinister chimpanzee military villain - who spends most of his time shouting
angrily or jumping around the set like some amped-up parkour artist.
It wouldn't be a Tim Burton film without an appearance from his longtime partner Helena
Bonham Carter, so she's here, playing an overly sexualized chimp, to boot.
She develops a somewhat romantic relationship with Wahlberg that's not only unsettling,
but largely unearned.
Michael Clarke Duncan appears as a giant gorilla, and Paul Giamatti is a meek little orangutan...
because of course they are.
Elsewhere Estella Warren and Kris Kristofferson are wasted as totally superfluously human-characters
that have literally zero purpose.
And last but not least, is original "Apes" star Charlton Heston - who's uncredited single
scene cameo is actually pretty cool... even though you'd hardly know it was him if not
for a familiar line of dialogue.
Despite its rushed production - the PG-13 rated film doest boast some particularly excellent
make-up, costumes, and more naturalistic ape-moment.
And from a technical standpoint the 119 minute film is competently shot, and well edited.
A few neat action sequences might impress younger audiences, but most of the material
here has been broached in better ways in better films.
Contrasting this "Planet Of The Apes" against the influential sci-fi classic may seem a
bit unfair, but by virtue of its very existence, it brought it upon itself.
Conceptually, the basic framework of Peirre's Boulle's novel is here, but Burton's interpretation
is wildly different than the 1968 film - which is perhaps why he insists the film is actually
a "re-imagination", rather than a true remake.
Gone is the subtly, patience, or nuance.
Every location is draped in shadows and cluttered with decoration of gothic inspiration.
In other words, this "Planet" is yet another Tim Burton fun house, irrespective of its
believability or diegetic connection to a world controlled by apes.
And almost the entire story seems to take place at night.
This update also adds a lot of unnecessary prologue - giving backstory to a narrative
that doesn't require it, and introducing characters never to be seen again.
The fact that humans can talk (and the apes are aware they can) completely undercuts the
de-evolution implications of earlier movies.
Relocating the titular world to a non-Earth planet hollows out the entire conceit that
made the original series so powerful, replaced instead with a tired time travel plot ripped
straight from an episode of "Star Trek".
Spoiler alert here: In an attempt to preserve the memorable twist-ending of the original
film, the screenwriters foolishly concocted a new conclusion - which sees Wahlberg traveling
back to a present-day version of Earth in which all humans have been directly substituted
for Apes.
It makes less sense than tits on a bull, and thanks to this picture's deservedly poor reviews
- will never be explained in a sequel.
Whereas the Statue Of Liberty reveal remains one of the best endings in the history of
science fiction, this Lincoln Memorial moment is almost certainly the worst.
Fans of Burton's trademark style might appreciate the film's visual aesthetic - but unless you're
an "Apes" completionist - this film is definitely one you should skip.
"Planet Of The Apes" is an insult to its namesake, and a wholly pointless remake.
But let's hear some of your insults from the YouTube comments!
Calling it unnecessary, awful, and scattered - we all agreed - this is a very LAME film.
Next up, a "re-imagining" that actually does things correctly, "RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE
APES."
An auspicious revival.
This $93 million dollar science fiction film grossed nearly half a billion following its
worldwide release in August of 2011.
Director Rupert Wyatt borrows concepts and styles from earlier entries and other films
to craft a compelling story.
Although resembling the premise of the series's fourth installment, 1972's "Conquest Of The
Planet Of The Apes", this film isn't a proper remake, but rather a re-envisioning of the
ideas set forth in the original five films.
In fact, its narrative structure much more closely parallels "Deep Blue Sea" than anything
else.
The PG-13 rated plot follows scientist James Franco, who inadvertently creates a drug that
boosts simian brain capacity when searching for a cure to Alzheimer's.
Later, his pet ape (with his newly boosted brain power) helps start an evolution revolution,
when he frees his species from a harsh Primate Sanctuary.
Unlike the original, there is very little here in way of political commentary - the
ape revolt is hardly analogous to issues with society.
Even still though, the story is fascinating, and well-told - with great performances by
most of the cast.
I say most, since Freida Pinto contributes very little as Franco's love-interest.
It's not her fault though, the script just doesn't give her much development.
John Lithgow is fantastic however, portraying the Alzheimer's-stricken father - who bounces
from forgetful frustration to excited fatherhood when the effects of the drug begin transforming
him and his simian housemate.
Franco himself does solid work as the gentle, but ambitious scientist - but feels out of
place in the overly serious story.
Last but not least, Andy Serkis's CGI-assisted portrayal of house-ape turned super-smart
rebellion leader Caesar is a remarkable achievement, and the real hero of the narrative.
Even without speaking dialogue for most of the picture, he undergoes a tremendously satisfying
arc, with real depth
and humanity.
The 110-minute film sprinkles in plenty of terrific references and throw-backs to the
original "Apes".
Some are subtle, while others are pretty overt; like the repetition of Heston's iconic "Take
your stinking paw off me, you damn dirty ape!", which is met with a similarly earth-shattering
response - Caesar's first spoken word.
More or less a cautionary tale about the dangers of oppressing our animal friends, and perhaps
a warning about scientific ambition - "Rise" feels a bit unbalanced.
The pacing is a careful march towards an inevitable outcome... until the final act when everything
is hurried for a thrilling set-piece on the Golden Gate Bridge.
Whereas the 1968 film was groundbreaking for its use with prosthetic makeup - this big-budget
reboot similarly impresses with astonishingly lifelike motion-capture technology, which
scored "Rise" it's only Academy Award nomination.
It likely won't be heralded as a "classic" any time soon, but it's thoroughly entertaining
from start to finish.
A wonderful update to a decades-old franchise that should appeal to old fans as well as
newcomers - it's also a surprisingly rewatchable film that sets-up its superior sequel quite
well.
"Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes", a is a fresh reboot with impressive effects.
I thought it was GREAT.
Next tonight, my updated thoughts on "DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES".
An excellent pay-off.
Directed by Matt Reeves, this eighth film in the surprisingly long-running "Apes" franchise,
was released in July of 2014 - and is the second film in the reboot trilogy.
Produced on a mammoth $235 million budget, this science fiction action film still pulled
in an impressive $710 million in worldwide proceeds.
Ten years after a deadly disease wiped out most of mankind, a growing community of genetically
evolved apes and a band of human survivors attempt to co-exist.
In other words, "Dawn" builds off the events set-up in "Rise" in wonderful and satisfying
ways.
Motion-capture extraordinaire, Andy Serkis returns in the lead role, as Caesar, the highly
intelligent leader of the apes.
Having built a community of talking, family oriented primates, Serkis is confronted with
the responsibilities of diplomacy, as he advises his tribe, signing, "If we go to war, we could
lose all we've built...", before finishing his thought out-loud by softly saying, "Home.
Family.
Future."
As an entirely CGI-character, he is able to effortlessly bring an emotional and human
performance to a decidedly non-human character - most of this accomplished with a furrow
of his brow, or a glance from his deep green eyes.
The attention to his character design is impressive, like a scene where Caesar pushes through a
subway station's turnstile - while all the other apes hop over it.
It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it detail that illustrates his human upbringing and advanced
intelligence.
Commendably, this is one of the only big-budget films that uses American Sign Language (or
at least, an ape-inspired variant) as one of its primary on-screen languages.
"Dawn" does not shy away from using subtitles.
Karin Konoval continues to exhibit emotional depth as Caesar's orange orangutan friend,
while the treacherous Koba is now played by Toby Kebbell in a menacing performance.
Unfortunately, no human characters from "Rise" return, but James Franco is referenced in
a particularly touching scene.
Instead, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, and Keri Russell are introduced as hopeful, but cautious
humans, who have survived horrible conditions only to reluctantly be thrust into a war with
their violent primate counterparts.
For reasons I can't quite articulate, Oldman just doesn't seem well-suited to this part,
and Russell is underutilized to a criminal extent.
Clarke however impresses, imbuing his character with much needed patience and bravery.
We're introduced to the growing conflict between man and ape when a scout party unwittingly
sparks a dramatic stand-off, with both sides on
a hair-trigger.
The tension that builds between these two groups is the entire driving force of the
carefully paced film, which should leave most audiences breathless as it unravels.
Throughout the 131-minute film, I found myself rooting for the impossible; the peaceful co-existence
of two dominant species.
We know it can't happen - but we still want it to.
A scene where the uneasy alliance finally restores power, allowing a stereo to play
music again for the first time in years is an emotionally powerful moment.
That is of course until you remember cars have radios too - which shouldn't have been
affected by a defunct power-grid.
The first "Apes" film shot in the taller 16:9 frame brilliantly captures both the lush forest
areas of the American north west, as well as the haunting desolation of a ruined San
Francisco.
The imagery of an abandoned and moss-covered city center is very invocative of Naughty
Dog's "The Last Of Us" video game - in all the best ways.
The visual effects perfectly blend the authentic locations and people with digital creatures
that are just as lifelike.
For their efforts, Peter Jackson's WETA Digital scored a well-earned Academy Award nomination.
The PG-13 rated picture doesn't have many twists or surprises, but the final climactic
battle between apes, humans, and other apes is a true spectacle to behold... as seeing
an angry ape charge on horseback while firing a machine gun is truly terrifying.
An extended POV-shot that's fixed to a mounted tank as it plows through a hectic battlefield
is a particular highlight.
Michael Giacchino's score provides a deep and drum like rhythm that further emphasizes
the seriousness of the realistic narrative, but it also includes occasional musical callbacks
to the original score's more whimsical style.
Although we're left with a satisfying conclusion, some plot threads are appropriately left unresolved
- setting up "War For The Planet Of The Apes" rather nicely.
Covering themes of trust, community, and betrayal, this is a touching story mixed with captivating
and exciting action.
An excellent summer blockbuster that improves with every viewing "Dawn Of The Planet Of
The Apes" is the best "Apes" yet, and is worthy of my highest score.
I'm re-rating this an AMAZING.
Finally tonight, my review for "WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES."
A triumphant conclusion.
The third picture in the "Apes" reboot series was released nationwide on July 14, 2017 - earning
back its $150 million dollar budget within its first two weekends.
The narrative, penned by returning director Matt Reeves and Mark Bomback picks up two
years after "Dawn" left off - where ape leader Caesar sets off on a quest into human territory
to settle a personal score.
The first two films in this updated trilogy were only appetizers for what will be long
heralded as a landmark achievement in motion capture technology.
Andy Serkis gives the performance of his career as the hardened chimpanzee leader; forced
to seek vengeance after suffering a staggering loss.
He motivates his troops by reiterating his species' motto, "Apes.
Together.
Strong."
The visuals effects by New Zealand's Weta Digital that bring this primate to life are
utterly sublime.
The facial expressions, physical mannerisms, and deep green eyes all evoke a truly emotional,
and human performance.
If any mo-cap character is going to break the proverbial 'glass ceiling' and score an
Academy Award nomination - this is it.
Karin Konoval returns as well, to portray Caesar's trusted orangutan adviser "Maurice"
- who's calm and measured perspective often helps reign in his leader's more brash decisions.
Steve Zahn plays "Bad Ape", a quirky hermit that Caesar's expedition picks up along the
way.
He has a few funny, comic-relief type moments - but they feel decidedly out of place in
the otherwise serious film.
But the implication of a talking ape not from Caesar's initial uprising is a big one, as
it signals the possibility of an entire "planet of the apes" - instead of just a small village
outside San Francisco.
The only real human character of note in "War" is Woody Harrelson as the villainous and uncompromising
"Colonel" - who doesn't hesitate to execute his own men when they show signs of disease.
Echoing shades of Marlon Brando, he delivers a long and emotionally distant monologue about
his son and the tough decisions he's made.
Remarking on the pending war between apes, humans, and his own faction of the military
Harrelson punctuates this speech by stating, "All of human history has come to this moment."
It is a powerful scene, and a real highlight in the 140 minute feature.
The increasingly busy Michael Giacchino provides one of his best scores this decade; although
"Star Trek" and "Up" (both from 2009) remain my favorite works from him.
Blending driving strings, high-pitched woodwinds, heavy drums, soft pianos, and a chanting choir
- Giacchino has composed a truly haunting score that occasionally feels almost ethereal
and patriotic.
It is a beautiful counterpart to the impeccable effects and flawless cinematography.
Even without characters populating the frame, the environments alone are stunning to see;
from the lush Redwood forests to the snow-covered mountains in the north.
Giacchino opens the film with a particularly neat drums-only rendition of the 20th Century
fanfare... which then cuts to on-screen text that helps bring the audience up to speed
on the events that came before.
Even though each of these entries stands on its own rather well - consistent themes and
characters allow them to mesh together extremely effectively.
Living up to its title, the opening ten minutes showcase a vicious and violent woodland battle
between human special forces and resilient apes dug into their Redwood hideout.
Gunfire, explosions, spears, and battle-cries rupture the speakers with a loud and enveloping
sound-mix.
This first chapter is one of the most impressive action scenes of any war movie, and instantly
elevates this picture above its 1970s-era counterpart, "Battle For The Planet Of The
Apes".
The PG-13 rated picture has some tonal and pacing issues towards the middle, as it drastically
shifts from a war movie to a prisoner-of-war movie.
I didn't particularly care for a few of the more convenient plot twists, either.
After 49 years though, these characters and stories are still impressive, and consistently
entertain - even paying homage to earlier films with clever moments and dialogue references.
A must-watch just for the terrifically well-realized motion capture effects, "War For The Planet
Of The Apes" is a thrilling example of why this trilogy is 'together, strong'.
And here's what you had to say about it.
Some called it the best yet, while others felt it was a downgrade.
Your scores averaged to a 9/10.
I agree, I felt this was an AWESOME film.
Now, some final thoughts on the entire franchise.
When "War" finishes its box office run, the "Planet Of The Apes" will have grossed over
$2 billion worldwide, an impressive accomplishment considering two of the nine films didn't even
reach double-digit millions.
There's something inherently invocative about the core concept of these stories, from the
B-movie style of title to the themes of equality and revolution that continue to resonate.
Or maybe people just like seeing animals wear human clothes.
Whatever its appeal - it's clearly stood the test of time.
Despite some stumbles in the middle, this has proven to be one resilient franchise with
dozens of memorable moments and characters.
"Planet Of The Apes" showed us the template on creating a truly great reboot... as well
as what not to do when attempting a remake.
It's rare for a film series to reach nine entries.
And it's almost unheard of for the ninth to be as good, if not better than the rest.
While "War" wraps up Caesar's three-picture arc remarkably well - the series keeps moving
towards that desolate desert universe established in the 1968 version, leaving the door open
for future installments.
I, for one, would love to see another sequel or two that jumps the story forward to when
the astronauts from the Icarus spacecraft (deliberately teased in "Rise", don't forget!)
return to Earth to find the thriving ape civilization Caesar helped establish.
Seeing an updated adaptation of Pierre Boulle's novel - using today's visual effects capabilities
- is an appealing way to come full circle on the half-century old franchise.
I'm thinking "Return To The Planet Of The Apes" would be a perfect title for such a
follow-up.
Are you writing this down, 20th Century Fox?
Until that 10th picture, which is reportedly already in the early planning stages - we'll
just have to speculate.
That does it for now, but next week I'll be collecting some of my previously written and
previously uploaded reviews to take another look at superhero films, if you'd like to
leave a comment review.
In the meantime, click or tap here to watch my reviews of the Star Wars franchise, click
or tap here to watch my "Dark Knight" trilogy reviews, or click the Jogwheel icon to subscribe,
and see new uploads when they're released.
Once again, my name is Jonathan Paula, thanks for watching, and have a good Movie Night!