Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

You asked for it, you got it, seems to be the Hollywood credo these days, as it unleashes yet another bloated and unimaginative monstrosity on our increasingly docile and sheeplike public. Believe me, I'm getting tired of being so negative, but how else is one supposed to react? What do you call a film that intentionally, studiously, and almost cleverly avoids being smart? What is the word for this? Well, moronic comes to mind. If not, then manipulative, or maybe cynical. Now I understand that this is a science fiction movie and I understand that when I hear these words in combination with one another I must suspend my disbelief to some extent. But one of these words is "science," okay? So, in theory anyway, is it not reasonable to expect a certain semblance to reality? Why is this so difficult? The trouble begins pretty quickly, almost as soon as our hero gets to the ape planet. He runs into both apes and humans immediately, and after toying with us for several minutes, the filmmakers finally allow us to hear that the humans in this world can speak. Whoa! This is a significant departure from both the novel and the first movie, which both portrayed humans as merely dumb animals. In this one, they are intelligent. How were they going to reconcile this with their obviously subservient status? The answer is, they don't. How did these intelligent human beings get into this state? In fact, what is their state? Where do they live? What do they live in? What do they eat? Do they cook? How do they clothe themselves? We never see. We know nothing, except that they appear out of the forest one day, and speak relatively educated English with one another. What is going on here? I guess we're not supposed to know, and apparently, the filmmakers don't believe that we care. This is what is known as intellectual laziness, and it is infuriating. What is really going on is that the filmmakers wanted the space human and the ape-world humans to be able to communicate with one another, quickly, and they didn't care about the huge plot complications that arose because of it. They ignored it. But this is like ignoring, if you will excuse me, the eight-hundred pound gorilla in the corner. From any standpoint you care to look at it--anthropological, biological or even political--the brave new world they have created makes no sense. So they abandoned common sense everywhere. Take the apes. They have obviously discovered steel, but for some reason--even though they are a very warlike society--they haven't discovered swords or spears or shields, or for that matter, even bows and arrows. Instead, they use heavy club-like devices--so they can pummel each other in an apelike fashion--and slings. They are obsessed by the human problem. They discuss nothing else. Some want to kill the humans and some advocate living with them peacefully. This is kind of interesting, but again, is this all there is? As humans have apparently been completely subjugated and are practically helpless, why should they care this much? And they are afraid of water! Terrified even, although they live in an area which is lush with jungly vegetation, has at least two large lakes, and is seemingly darkened by clouds most of the time. How can a creature which requires water to survive be in terror of it? It makes no sense, except that soon enough we see the movie-maker's reason for it: a very clumsy plot device, and one which easily could have been circumvented with even a little imagination. Again, they don't seem to care. As the film continues we find out that the explanation for the ape society is that it was founded by--a chimpanzee. Yes, a chimp. A monkey. But haven't the apes been ridiculing monkeys all along? And how, pray tell, does an ape descend from a monkey anyway? HOW? Nope, they don't care to explain, and this, in a nutshell, is what plagues major Hollywood filmmaking today: the thought and intelligence behind these projects is used entirely to go into the creation of special effects, and is completely uncaring as to the story it purports to tell. The first film, as well as making sense from a plot standpoint, was also truly thought-provoking: our inhumane treatment of dumb brutes as exemplified by our being put in their place; the question of the origin of society and the belief in a superior being; and even racial divisions among the apes themselves are issues that were explored. But in this movie, any thought--and even a rational plot--is subsumed by realistic-looking gorilla costumes; lots of fighting in the new-age, leaping-around, karate-kicking way; amplified growls and shrieks; and wild rides in a colorful outer space. That's it. I myself was bored beyond belief, and appalled by the preposterous, ridiculous ending. I left the theatre feeling insulted that the makers of films like this apparently think that we can be bought so cheaply. But who cares? Judging from the first weekend's box-office receipts, the filmmakers sure don't. Why should they? Sad. We truly are descending to the level of dopey animals if we enjoy watching this mindlessness