Rick Baker's Planet
by Ed Owens

In 1982, the first Academy Award for Best Makeup was handed out. There were only two nominees: Stan Winston for Heartbeeps and Rick Baker for An American Werewolf in London. The award went to Rick Baker, and in the years since, Baker has been nominated nine times and won six. This year, Baker will receive his tenth nomination. The movie is Planet of the Apes, and Baker's work is nothing short of amazing.

Tim Burton's "reimagining" of the 1968 classic (itself, an adaptation of Pierre Bouelle's novel Monkey Planet) follows Capt. Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg) as he crash lands on a remote planet (the setup is actually far more convoluted) where monkeys…excuse me, apes…have established a thriving society while humans are left foraging in the wilderness. Humans are rounded up and kept as pets, labor, and other things, while the apes enjoy fancy dinners and lengthy discussions. Davidson quickly becomes a hero to the humans and a thorn in the side of Gen. Thade (Tim Roth, snarling and snorting his way through most of the film), a militant monkey bent on ridding the planet of humans altogether. Davidson is helped in his quest by Daena (Estella Warren), a human prisoner with pouty lips who mostly stands around looking angry or upset, and an ape named Ari (Helena Bonham Carter), a Senator's daughter who believes in a society where ape and man can coexist.

Despite the heavy-hitting cast, the real star of the film is Baker's makeup effects. The film puts the actors and their makeup through some difficult paces (from extreme close-ups to distant long shots), and Baker's creations rise to the challenge every time. Even with all the exposure the film's makeup has gotten through the numerous trailers and teasers, the actual film still manages to wow early on.To complement the incredible makeup effects, many of the actors have learned ape-like movements, from gestures and posturing to running on all fours. All of this (coupled with some special effects wizardry) comes together beautifully to create some great images.

Unfortunately, Baker and crew's fabulous creations are held captive by a script that reads more like used Cliff's Notes with pages missing. Ari's infatuation with Captain Leo occurs so quickly that the audience is left to openly speculate about its origin (my guess is she's seen Boogie Nights). Relationships develop (and disintegrate) between scenes, and themes are introduced only to be completely forgotten moments later. The first half hour is rich with possibilities, all of which are quickly steamrolled as the film rushes headlong to become an action picture. That's where the second major problem comes in.

An action picture needs a center, and Wahlberg proves unable to provide it. It's not that he's not a capable actor, but he simply doesn't have the presence to keep the film moving. The result is unsatisfying on nearly all levels, with the film eventually spinning so out of control that even the climactic battle between ape and man devolves into a badly coordinated series of seemingly random events. Much has been made of the film's final moments, with Burton having supposedly filmed five different endings to keep people guessing. If you ask me, he chose the wrong one.

There are some bright spots in the darkness. Danny Elfman provides one of his best scores ever, and could also be looking at a nomination come Oscar time. Also rising above the fray is Helena Bonham Carter. If there were any doubts about her ability, her performance here, even under all the heavy makeup, should put them to rest rather quickly. Carter's performance does more than merely outshine her fellow cast; it literally provides a depth and range that is otherwise completely lacking in the film. Perhaps a more engaging film could have been made from her story - at least she could carry it.

©2001 Ed Owens
CineScene