July (Web-only) 2001

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Of critics in the religious media, The Dove Foundation's Holly McClure goes fairly easy on the movie: "The makeup is truly phenomenal and brings a lifelike feel to the characters. The funniest scenes are the subtle spoofs on monkey/human humor, but unfortunately there were too many of those and not enough character depth to make you care about any of the struggling survivors." The U.S. Catholic Conference says the film is a mixed bag: "Director Tim Burton's reinvention excels in its makeup and visual effects, but lacks narrative depth with self-conscious dialogue and a sly cynicism toward religious beliefs." Movieguide's critic points out some problems. "Planet of the Apes … is plagued by plot holes, story inconsistencies and self-contradictions, poor dialogue, over the top acting, an abhorrent worldview, and a very weak hero and lead actor. The Twilight Zone ending will leave many people scratching their heads, because it is inane." John Barber at Preview writes, "Fans of the original may enjoy the comic relief provided by references to the 1968 classic and a slightly-more-than-cameo appearance by its star, Charlton Heston. But throw the updated special effects aside, and this film is not as intriguing the second time around. A faint attempt to copy the drama of Heston's discovery … of the Statue of Liberty in ruins ...