Planet of the Apes (2001)

The critic finds glimmers of wit and energy in Burton's remake, praising the graceful opening and the film's visual style with a hint of schlock.

It is a mixed re-imagining with upgraded ape make-up allowing strong performances from Roth and Bonham Carter, but the story is slight and convenient with no emotional depth for Wahlberg; the twist ending works but quoting the original feels wrong.

The review describes Burton's re-imagining as facetious and forgettable, owing as much to pop ephemera as to its themes; it notes visual élan and strong ape performances (especially Roth) but criticizes the slapdash narrative and climax.

The critic finds the film visually striking with strong make-up and effects work but criticizes it as dramatically thin and unengaging, with weak lead performances and little socio-political depth.

Burton's visual gift is on display but the film is disappointingly not very fun, lacking surprise despite strong performances like Tim Roth's evil ape.

The critic calls it a truly mediocre picture that lacks Burton's singular vision, suffering from a pallid Wahlberg performance, confused storytelling, lack of dramatic momentum, a disappointing twist, and a mish-mash of visual styles.

The critic highlights how the film's promising opening credits sequence, scored by Danny Elfman, sets up expectations for a superior movie that the rest of Tim Burton's misguided 2001 remake fails to deliver, devolving into poor execution after the credits.

The critic finds Tim Burton's remake bland and idea-light compared to the 1968 original, relying mostly on special effects and prosthetic make-up rather than satire or surprise. He singles out the faultless make-up and a brief, amusing moment featuring Charlton Heston for minor praise amid an otherwise disappointing re-imagining.

The film is spectacular but empty, with Tim Roth as the standout ape; Burton's dynamic style fails to match the original's intelligence and emotional pull.

The pairing of Burton and the material is a mismatch; the reworking is listless, witless, conventional and lacking Burton's trademark weirdness.

The critic dismisses the film as expensive but dramatically inert summer schlock that fails as witty satire or suspense and carries an unwelcome racist allegory by equating apes with Black characters and post-colonial themes.

The piece ranks the 2001 film last among Apes movies, describing it as a complete disaster with lazy storytelling, inattention to detail, and a lack of Tim Burton's characteristic curiosity, despite an intriguing ending.

The re-imagining falls way short of expectations despite strong ape makeup effects and standout performances from Tim Roth and Helena Bonham Carter. It plays like a compromised popcorn adventure with little of Burton's usual quirkiness, bland human leads, and a muddled story that hints at behind-the-scenes problems.

The critic finds Burton's reimagining devoid of personality or fun, resulting in a humorless and forgettable film whose action climax is obscured and ineffective.

The critic finds the 2001 Tim Burton remake underwhelming overall, with an undercooked script that lacks the stakes and depth of the 1968 original and a miscast lead in Mark Wahlberg. The standout element is the impressive prosthetic ape makeup and performances, achieved through practical effects and ape school training for the actors.