I know there have been threads on this previously - but they seemed to be more related to the discrepancies between the book and the film.
I have not read the book yet and have not seen the original film since I was a small child, I tried to take the Film on it’s own merits rather than comparing it to something else.
IMHO it’s not a great film, it does have some redeeming features and parts of the film are good - however I didn’t come away from the film thinking I had seen a future classic.
The Ape makeup was excellent. I was convinced throughout most of the film that I was watching actual apes acting, there were a couple of places where the illusion was spoilt, in two scenes the line between the wig and the face makeup was visible.
One of my favorite sequences in the film is near the beginning when the Apes are trying to capture the Humans to sell as slaves; this is our first introduction to the apes. It shows the strength and agility of the Apes, the fact they are so much stronger and faster than the humans are. I think this is the best sequence in the whole film.
The space effects were good, I think that this quality is expected in any big blockbuster film.
Mark Whalberg (M.W.) seemed to amble boardly through the film, at times appearing slightly bewildered. He seemed only to display about two emotions throughout the entire film. This is a big shame and part of the reason I came away without that feeling of greatness. I think this character could have been played so much better and would have increased the films’ quality immensely.
The Human girl also seemed badly cast; I had no emotional response to this character at all. I believe she was supposed to be jealous of the female ape (whose name escapes me) and in love with the Space Man. I am not sure though. Again this part could have been played so much better and could have brought a lot to the film if played well.
Tim Roth was excellent as General Thade, even through all the makeup. He had me convinced that he was an ape and not just a man in a suit, his performance was very good and if the other characters had been played as well as this the film would have been so much better.
Helen B. Carter played the female ape well, my own opinion is that she should have been more ape like, and less like a female human, I can see how this may have been too controversial, but perhaps the controversy would have helped.
Speaking of men in suits at times the female apes’ body guard seemed just to be that, there were a couple of moments (for example when the group was camped in the mountains) when I was not convinced. But I do not have much experience with gorillas walking so it could have been spot-on.
The plot was interesting, it has been discussed at length here before though so I won’t say much. Other than to highlight a couple of things.
M.W. should not have been able to launch the delta pod without authorization from the bridge (at least not if I had designed the Oberon:) ).
Wasn’t it luck how the Alpha pod arrived just in time eh?
I wasn’t satisfied with the ending myself, I’m not sure how the Apes managed to take Earth. I know this has been discussed at length however a though occurs to me, what If M.W. went so far in to the future that maybe genetically enhanced apes already on Earth took over, not the apes from the planet.
I thought the Ape city was pretty good, although did I spot a group of apes listening to Rock music? On what a stereo? This seemed a little out of place.
My boss has just interrupted me so I have lost my train of thought, I may post more later.
