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Is Science Fiction Coming Back?

© Lisa Marie Cramer

Please don’t let my sarcasm mislead you. I liked this movie. At two hours and seven minutes it never drags, is never redundant, and the problems that keep coming up are not frustrating or annoying (as they are in most Jerry Bruckhiemer films). The special effects are spectacular. Michael Clarke Duncan is barely recognizable. The transformations were so complete that even though I looked for Charlton Heston’s cameo as an ape I missed it. Not only that, the set design is breathtaking. At one point in the film Ari leads Davidson and several other humans out of the ape city toward freedom. Their travel through various ape habitats and down the city streets is eerie. The look is often ominous and I applaud Tim Burton for not drenching the film with his gothic style, though his signature is obviously there.

Because the term “good sci-fi” is an oxymoron there were several things wrong with this film. In many ways the backward perspective of ape and human interaction is fascinating. The apes telling each other to wash their hands after handling humans because they carry disease seemed too obvious to be ironic. At one point General Thade grabs Davidson, pries open his mouth, and asks, “Is there a soul in there?” These attempts at being witty about the social change were mostly awkward and over the top. It’s also interesting to note that the human-friendly apes resemble humans more than the violent apes. Ari has a contemporary hairstyle and lip gloss. The worst part of the movie is the end. After a powerful battle scene between the apes and humans the movie’s “surprise ending” is revealed. It would be surprising if it made any sense.

My suggestion is to go and see it. It’s not bad enough to rot your brain, it’s fast-paced, and it’s just fun to look at. Let’s just hope it makes enough money for a sequel so that horrible ending can get explained.