5.5 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.3 |
After a spectacular crash-landing on an uncharted planet, brash astronaut Leo Davidson finds himself trapped in a savage world where talking apes dominate the human race. Desperate to find a way home, Leo must evade the invincible gorilla army led by ruthless General Thade and his most trusted warrior, Attar. Now the pulse-pounding race is on to reach a sacred temple that may hold the shocking secrets of mankind's past - and the last hope for its salvation!
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul GiamattiAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 65% |
Adventure | 63% |
Thriller | 51% |
Epic | 20% |
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English, English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Take your stinking hands off me you damn dirty human!
The remake bug bit 20th Century Fox earlier this decade when the studio dug into its vault and
commissioned a re-imaging of one of its landmark films, 1968's Planet of the Apes.
Hailed as one of the more original and influential films of its time and still today a popular hit and
staple of home video, Planet of
the Apes is a film that didn't necessarily need another version, but the story
certainly lends
itself well to a potentially great big-budget, slickly-produced re-imagining. The
ingredients are all in place for a fabulous movie. This take on the classic boasted of tried-and-true
source
material, a visionary director in Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before
Christmas), and an all-star cast, but something happened along the way, for the end
result is certainly not what fans, nor likely the studio, envisioned. The re-imaging of The
Planet
of the Apes is not necessarily a terrible film, it just doesn't do justice to the original classic. It
tries too hard to distinguish itself and to create an individual identity that shares with its
predecessor only a name and a basic theme, eschewing much of what the original a classic,
particularly the overt social commentary. The end result is a film that does well as passable
entertainment but falls short of being a worthy addition into the Apes canon.
Survivor: Planet of the Apes. Coming next fall!
Planet of the Apes takes users back in time to when Fox still provided Blu-ray content utilizing the MPEG-2 codec. Presented in 1080p high definition and presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Planet of the Apes makes for a decent, but far from spectacular, Blu-ray image. The image leans to the dull side of the spectrum, with little in the way of fine detail or clarity throughout. The white interior of the station looks very pale and underwhelming, not nearly as sharp and crisp as expected. The image is also fairly soft in many shots, with numerous background and foreground objects never appearing very well defined. Blacks hold up only moderately well, appearing a very dark shade of gray, and also including the most abundant noise as seen in the image. Many dark objects seem to take on a purple tone which gives select shots an odd sheen. Grain is present over the image and is noticeable throughout, but is never a distraction to the overall presentation. Rather, it adds a nice film-like appearance to the disc. Fine detail is minimal. Even the film's more elaborate shots, like a dinner table scene in chapter 10, never reveal good, sharp, detail or textures. Only close-ups of faces, particularly those of the elaborate ape makeup, feature high levels texture and detail. Flesh tones are neither strong nor poor. Planet of the Apes makes for a decent high definition experience, but viewers accustomed to the finer transfers on the market will certainly be disappointed by the overall quality of this disc compared to the best transfers currently available.
As usual for a Fox title, Planet of the Apes crashes onto Blu-ray with a powerful DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Danny Elfman's (The Kingdom) score over the opening credits features a fine, bass-rich, tribal sound which flows through entire soundstage nicely, solidified in the front but with palpable support from the rears and the subwoofer. This track features excellent imagining and directionality as sound flows naturally across all the speakers, matching precisely with the imagery on-screen. Bass is often thunderous and the rear channel presence is engaging. The sequence in chapter four, as Davidson chases after the pod in which Pericles disappears, and then subsequently disappears and crashes onto the planet himself, features virtually incessant surround use and bass that rumbles the foundation. Much of the same can be expected of the rest of the track as it features a nonstop sonic assault during the numerous action sequences. Topping off a very good soundtrack is decent ambience spread throughout the film and effortless dialogue reproduction.
Planet of the Apes offers viewers only one extra of substance, a commentary track with director Tim Burton. This easygoing commentary features the laid-back director discussing the origins of his involvement in the project, his reluctance to "remake" the film but rather give it its own visual style and story, his memories of the original series, the casting, the general look and effects of the film, and more. Burton fans, as well as those die hard Apes fans looking for more insight into this somewhat controversial film will want to give this track a listen. Also included are 1080p trailers for Planet of the Apes, Behind Enemy Lines, Ice Age, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Perhaps were this film a new idea and not a re-telling of a classic, it would have worked better and received more widespread acceptance and critical acclaim. As it stands, the film is fine for what it is, perhaps something of a letdown considering the classic nature of the tale and the high level of talent involved in the project. Planet of the Apes is a decent movie taken at face value, perhaps best watched when the memories of the original, and superior, Charlton Heston version have become but a blur to the imagination after an extended period of time in between viewings. 20th Century Fox's Blu-ray release of Planet of the Apes is a product from the earlier days of the format and utilizes an older video codec, but nevertheless offers a decent Blu-ray experience. The picture quality, while passable, pales next to the best available today, but the lossless soundtrack remains one of high quality. Fans of the film will be disappointed with the skimpy selection of extras, but if the rumors of a remake of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes hold true, no doubt the studio will see fit to release a (hopefully) remastered special edition to coincide with the theatrical or home video release of that film years from now. In the meantime, this edition of Planet of the Apes is best enjoyed as a rental.
Limited Edition
2004
Collector's Edition
2013
1998
2000
Limited Edition
1997
20th Anniversary Edition
1996
2012
2005
2009
2009
2017
2013
+BD with the 3 versions
1991
2004
Director's Cut
2009
1080p Corrected Version
2003
2016
2002
20th Anniversary
2003
1998