"Get your stinking paws off me you damn, dirty ape!" Mark Whalberg monkeys around with Tim Roth.

Planet of the Apes
20th Century Fox, 2001
Directed by Tim Burton

$$$

I always enjoy science fiction, but I enjoy it the most when it's in the form of an allegory. And you can't ask for a better example of allegory than Planet of the Apes, which first appeared as a French novel by Pierre Boulle and later as a classic 1968 film starring Charlton Heston. That version remains so enjoyable to this day that when I heard the Hollywood geniuses were planning a remake, I felt like pounding my fists into the ground and screaming damn them, damn them all to hell!

And that's why it's more than a little surprising that I found myself enjoying the very remake that I dreaded. Tim Burton's new Planet of the Apes improves on the original film in many ways, while still cleverly holding a mirror up to society. (For the record, the studio insists this isn't a "remake", it's a "reimagining".)

The concept is the same -- an American astronaut crash lands on a planet where roles are reversed; apes rule the planet and humans are kept in cages. This time, however, we're given a new story and different characters. Mark Whalberg plays the spaceman who finds himself in a place populated by walking, talking simians. The ape republic is ruled over by the evil General Thade, played astonishingly by Tim Roth.

The apes this time not only have better make-up, but they're far more ape-like. They walk like apes -- sometimes on all fours -- and none is more animalistic than Roth; he's truly scary. Helena Bonham Carter and Michael Clarke Duncan also have impressive turns under Rick Baker's terrific monkey masks -- they're good enough to make you forget the original's apes, Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter. Paul Giamatti also has a funny turn as an sleazy simian slave trader. (Also, look for Heston in a great cameo as the Alpha Ape.)

As for the humans, they're more articulate than in the original film. Wahlberg, who resembles a monkey himself if you ask me, is pretty Stoic as astronaut Leo Davidson, but he does all he has to do -- be a cocky action hero who won't take any crap from any talking monkey. Estella Warren is sumptuous as the human female slave that Davidson befriends and protects.

The action isn't the only thing that's better in this version -- the new movie's message about racial tolerance is also more effective than the original's, if less timely. The remake is also more intentionally funny and campy in an homage-sort of way.

But one area where things are not improved is the ending. The original, of course, had arguably the greatest surprise ending of all time. This version ends with a completely different surprise -- a Twilight Zone-style ending that, although very cool, makes no sense whatsoever. (If anyone can explain it to me, e-mail me at jasonrothman@yahoo.com -- for now, I'm assuming all will be made clear in the inevitable sequel.)

The original is still a more pure piece of science fiction, and Heston's campy performance is a lot more fun to watch. But nevertheless, the update does put a nice new gloss on things. You won't mind putting your paws on this damn, dirty ape.

(c) Copyright 2001