Plot: What’s it about?
As part of a routine mission, Capt. Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg) takes a spade pod on a recon tour, to gather information and such. But when he gets thrown into a wormhole, he finds himself launched through time & space, right into a crash landing. The pod smashes into an unknown planet, which Davidson has to explore on his own to obtain any insight. As time passes, he finds some other humans, but he soon discovers the truth about this strange planet, as the human race is ruled over by another group. This other race is a group of talking simians, who rank as superiors over the humans and hold the place Davidson is so used to holding himself. He soon learns that some of the apes are kind, like Ari (Helena Bonham Carter), but some are violent and seek to eliminate mankind, like General Thade (Tim Roth). If the human race is to survive Thade’s onslaught, Davidson must get some help from Ari, as well as a small band of human rebels. But can Davidson and the others overcome the odds, or will Thade demolish mankind’s future?
As a fan of the original Planet of the Apes, I was displeased when I learned of this new version, especially with Tim Burton at the helm. I suppose I just didn’t see the need, since the original had a base of dedicated fans and the series hasn’t been too popular in recent years. But this new working of the premise raked in a lot of cash and although I’m still not a fan of this version, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. As part of the summer’s block of mindless action pictures, Planet of the Apes delivers in terms of flashy visuals and action sequences, which is about all we could want here. The writing is basic and leaves a lot to be desired, while the human actors are laughable, especially when compared to the ones in simian costumes. Burton’s direction is thin as usual, but also as usual, his production design team saves him, thanks to the lush visuals. Like Sleepy Hollow and several other of Burton’s movies, the visuals are the main attraction and in truth, I think Burton’s presence is unneeded, as he couldn’t even get good performances from his cast in this case. But as a big budget, no thought needed sci/fi picture, Planet of the Apes is more than decent. As we’ve seen a loaded Special Edition on standard DVD, you just know a re-release is going to arrive at some point, so while the movie is fun, perhaps a rental is the best recommendation.
As one of Hollywood’s hip directors, Tim Burton seems to attract a fanbase who find him to be outside the mainstream, which I don’t understand. His movies often have a dark feel, but are still mainstream fluff, if you lift up the shadows and peek underneath. This is more than proved here, as Burton helms this example of Hollywood waste, an action picture with a massive budget and little soul. Burton’s direction is as flat as ever, as he is unable to guide his cast into solid performances, although the costumed ones do well enough. Burton steers Mark Wahlberg way off course and in the process, almost tanks this movie. I’d rather see his production design team at the helm instead, since they’re the reason his films are even worth a look in the first place. Other films directed by Burton include Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. The cast includes Mark Wahlberg (Boogie Nights, The Yards), Tim Roth (Four Rooms, Pulp Fiction), and Helena Bonham Carter (Fight Club, A Room With A View).
Video: How does it look?
Planet of the Apes is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie looked excellent on DVD, but that transfer looks terrible when compared to this beast of a presentation. As before, the print is pristine and softness is never a problem. But while the standard transfer suffered from edge enhancement and some minor compression flaws, this new edition is free and clear, so even those small issues have been ironed out. The dark visuals are incredible here, thanks to deep, stark contrast that yields flawless black levels. Even the darkest of scenes, detail remains high and the visuals are never muddied in the least. The colors look superb also, whether bright and bold or dank and restrained. The overall sharpness is overhauled, giving us a deeper, more refined picture that even nitpickers should be pleased with.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included DTS HD soundtrack provides a powerful, but still refined experience that leaves the previous DTS track in the dust. his is a nice balance between subtle presence and power, as both sides of the coin are explored and with excellent results. The surrounds don’t always assault the senses, but they are used very well and create a lot of atmosphere, which is important as well. There are scenes that let the speakers open up and rock the foundations, but the tracks also handle the smaller touches with ease. So you won’t always be shaking from the bass, but you will always be immersed within the movie, thanks to these effective tracks. No issues with dialogue either, as vocals remain clear and well placed from start to finish. This is a welcome boost over the previous DTS track, doing the same positives, only better. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Most of the extras from the two disc DVD release have been dropped. We do have one of the audio commentary tracks, so at least we have that. The session is with director Tim Burton and as usual, he is not too talkative and leaves a lot of silence. Burton is more chatty than usual, but still lacks the ability to make decent use of the commentary, which is a real shame. I think getting another participant might have been a good idea, to help flesh this session out a little. This disc also includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
