Gauracandra 1 Report post Posted July 27, 2001 I can’t honestly say I’d recommend it, but it is sort of campy fun. The plot is paper thin, the visuals are kind of interesting and the ending you are not going to believe. Tim Burton is known for making wildly campy fantasy worlds, and in this film he does that just fine. But he has never been very good at combining a solid story with his fantasy. The original Planet of the Apes was a statement against racism, but in all honesty while watching this latest remake I got the feeling it was subtly racist. I can’t put my finger on it, but throughout the movie there were points and images that made me feel it was supporting a racist view. Again I’d have to see it again to see if I could verbalize specific instances. Most of the audience was black and seemed to enjoy it. But there was one large (physically huge) black audience member sitting to my right. Every so often he’d start to grumble and I think he was sensing the same racist undertones to the film, which most of the audience seemed to just let pass. It was almost the exact opposite of the original in this respect. And the ending – when it happened, the guy next to me (who again was HUGE) got up so fast and virtually ran over the other audience members. He was PISSED. The ending is on one level hilarious because it takes you totally off guard – but it is totally disrespectful, and if you felt that the movie itself was racist, this may be the punctuation mark to prove the case. I have got to admit I laughed simply because I couldn’t believe the ending. I don’t want to give the ending away, but its bad. If you think about what the image means and then think of what transpired immediately before it, again it would suggest certain racist undertones. Anyways, I know I’m being a bit cryptic but check it out and let me know what you think. Gauracandra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 27, 2001 I was going to skip the flick, but now you've got me curious. I'll drive into the city tomorrow and see it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 28, 2001 I wish I skipped it and spent the four bucks on something else. Ho-hum. As Sci-fi goes, it was a 2 on a scale of 1 - 10. Last years Journey to the Red Planet was much more entertaining. Just two things -- musical score was WAY TOO LOUD, and the only racists I saw were the monkeys who acted like my neo-nazi neighbors. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gauracandra 1 Report post Posted July 28, 2001 I think I figured out why I thought it had racist undertones. Essentially it comes down to this – the movie wants to invoke various racist ideas but is too caught up in its own campiness to ever really address them. As such we are just left with an ambiguous feeling about the movie. It never really addresses any issues and so all we are left with are the few racist thematic underpinnings. Anyways, I agree its not a particularly good movie. Gauracandra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 29, 2001 Actually, the major redeeming quality of the flick was the ending. I don't want to spoil it for those who havn't seen it, so I'll just say you gotta be a fan of the Outer Limits or Twilight Zone to appreciate it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gauracandra 1 Report post Posted July 29, 2001 Yeah I agree. Just in case this might be a spoiler don't read ahead until or unless you plan on seeing the movie.... Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Possible hint of a Spoiler!!! Or be a fan of the 1960s show The Prisoner. Thats what first popped into my head. Gauracandra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted July 29, 2001 Yeah, The Prisoner was one of the better boob tube shows from back then. And now that you mention it..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
atma 0 Report post Posted July 30, 2001 I saw it too and I agree that it's a waste of money. My daughters warned me, the little one said that was 'cheesy' and the big one said that has a "crappy ending" but that I would laugh. I did laugh and the guy to my right too. He was an average white guy who was moving a lot (I guess that he didn't like the movie that much). The girl to my left was into her boyfriend and I don't think that she paid any attention to the movie. Sometimes I think how much money and time I waste going to the movies but still going. Maya is there.So much for trying to be serious and don't have any more lives. Yesterday, a devotee astrologer was telling me about how significant are the circunstances were you born. He thinks that he is a fighter because he born in a military base. My mother almost had me in a movie theater. Her water bag broke in the middle of a movie and they had to rushed her to the Nursing Home. [This message has been edited by atma (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
