Planet of the Apes

This is much more of a straight remake of the original 1968 version that certainly benefits from superior visual effects and animatronics, but otherwise is really quite stodgy and sterile. Mark Wahlberg is the astronaut "Leo" who finds himself stranded on a planet that is dominated by apes that can speak. Just like their human relatives, the Simian community is facing a war. The more benign, cleverer, chimpanzees are facing a conflict with their more aggressive gorilla cousins led by "Thade" (Tim Roth). Luckily, "Leo" can count on the feisty assistance of "Ari" (Helena Bonham Carter) as they race their antagonists to a secret facility deep in the forbidden zone that could offer them a solution and reveal the nature of their past. Wahlberg is good in these action roles. He manages to keep the pace moving along despite a rather weak story that takes quite a while to establish itself, and then is all too procedural as it bumbles along to an admittedly lively and fitting denouement. It's not a great film, indeed was there really any need to remake it at all, save for it being a vehicle for the easy-on-the-eye star? Still, it's an above average production that passes two hours without effort. If you're really eagle-eyed you might spot "Planet" original Linda Harrison (in a cart) but that might be all this has to make it memorable.