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Planet of the Apes Review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 3.0
    50

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Mixed or average reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 10

    out of 100

    Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

    My Homo sapiens brain was boggled by the movie's clumsiness, while my heart was chilled by the chance that otherwise mature members of my species might mistake this disjointed botch for summer entertainment.

  • 40

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

    Outside of a hyper-energetic, irresistibly evil portrayal by Tim Roth as General Thade, the baddest ape in town, the sad truth about Planet of the Apes is that, disappointingly, it's just not very much fun to watch.

    Read Full Review

  • 40

    out of 100

    The New York Times A.O. Scott

    When Mr. Burton's "Planet" fixes on being entertaining...it succeeds. But the picture states its social points so bluntly that it becomes slow-witted and condescending; it treats the audience as pets.

    Read Full Review

  • 40

    out of 100

    Variety Todd McCarthy

    Largely listless and witless, this extensive reworking of the 1968 sci-fi favorite simply isn't very exciting or imaginative; most surprisingly, given the material, it's also Burton's most conventional and literal-minded film, the one most lacking in his trademark poetic weirdness and bracing flights of fancy.

    Read Full Review

  • 58

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

    Are there surprises? A couple of big money ones, notably the ludicrous would-be jaw-dropper of a finale.

    Read Full Review

  • 63

    out of 100

    Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

    Burton's made a film that's respectful to the original, and respectable in itself, but that's not enough. Ten years from now, it will be the 1968 version that people are still renting.

    Read Full Review

  • 75

    out of 100

    USA Today Susan Wloszczyna

    There's one reason to see Tim Burton's flawed, somewhat declawed but often amusing do-over of Planet of the Apes. The apes. What else?

    Read Full Review

  • 88

    out of 100

    Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

    This century's Planet of the Apes is a rouser, a screaming-banshee fun house.

    Read Full Review

  • See all Planet of the Apes reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

Iffy for 13+

Decent re-imagining of the classic.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie features intense and prolonged peril, a great deal of violence, and many deaths, including characters we care about. Characters are beaten and branded. There is a brief mild sexual situation and some strong language.

  • Families can talk about the way that Burton makes unabashedly clear the parallels between the views of the apes toward humans and the views of racists and other bigots on Earth. Like those who have argued for segregation, apartheid, genocide, and "ethnic cleansing," the apes find justification for their oppression of humans by insisting that humans are inferior creatures who have no souls or by demonizing them. The apes seem to have no problem with sub-species distinctions, and different kinds of apes work and socialize without any distinctions.

The good stuff
  • message true0

    Messages: Not an issue

What to watch for
  • violence false4

    Violence: Very intense peril and violence, characters killed.

  • sex false1

    Sex: Mild.

  • language false2

    Language: Mild language.

  • consumerism false0

    Consumerism: Not an issue

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

© Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 3.217
Read all reviews Write a review at Fandango
1

by geoelevation25

1

The most overrated film of all time!
This movie sucked. There was barley anything to like about it. The way the apes looked was stupid. The story made absolutely no sense. The acting was good by Mark Wahlberg, Giamatti, and a couple other actors. But the overall movie was stupid. I have seen better movies on Sy-Fy. They did not follow their story at all. How did the main bad guy comeback to take control of Earth of when he was trapped? How did in the time span of a couple of months, the monkeys learned how to escape their cages and kill? Especially since they were only being taught to fly a space shuttle. I would say never watch this movie, ever!

5

A great movie by KINGNN
This was a great remake of the 1968 movie. The movie is a must see and provides the right balance of excitement/drama and action. You definitely must watch this movie before watching Rise of the planet of the apes ( 2011).

3

by TerpsFan72

Read all Planet of the Apes reviews at Fandango
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