Burton Refuses To Explain Apes Ending (1 Viewer)

[Rachael B]

I thought POA was average, maybe a tad more. The majority of films are average give or take a few points. There really are not that many truly great or extreamely bad films. You wouldn't know that from the way so many folks elevate or put down films on this and other forums. What we need are kinder and gentler reviews and discussion, me thinks. I didn't think POA was really bad nor really good. I see it floating near the median line. I had a good time at it, which is all that counts. Best auh'wishes monkeeboys!
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Rachael, the big disc cat! "...Mandrake, have you ever seen a commie drink water..."
AFI Film Challenge, hey I've only got 2 to go!

 

[Matt Vielkind]

The ending was not a very good one. I would of liked to of seen a full scale war between the apes and the humans. Well the movie wasn't very good so I think Burton didn't know what to say when the question was posed to him. I don't think anyone can explain this drawn out mess that he calls an ending.

 

[James D S]

Ken,
Now why'd you have to go and post that link? I was away for nearly 3 hours going through all the info on that site!
What did I miss while I was gone? Is Shootout II out yet?

[Edited last by James D S on August 15, 2001 at 02:54 AM]

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I think there were many problems for this movie. The best part was probably the opening credits, with the cool gear, pounding music, and neat use of streaming text.
The end did not make sense. I literally cannot think of a way to rationalize it. This in itself makes any movie bad.
The movie had a claustrophobic feel to it (as others have said) and didn't feel like it was on a planet, but on a set. Everything was shot close up and from one side, very much like a stage production. The plot was loose, and not much was explained in detail. The viewers are just thrown into it, and a lot doesn't make sense without thought (one of the reason many people didn't like Final Fantasy, which I thought was great in many ways). The problem is that things still didn't make sense after thought. I like how the apes appeared as apes, but I never knew they could jump 10 feet in the air, and the jumping stuff looked too fake. The makeup was good for some characters, but not all. Overall, it was a bad movie.
I haven't seen the first one, so I can only look at this film as a legitimate film and not a "reimagining".
This summer, I have only seen a few movies, and this probably was the worst (of Scary Movie 2, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy, and Planet of the Apes). Then again, my top was probably Final Fantasy, and I know that many people would disagree with me on that.

 

[Rich Malloy]

The ending is a joke, a visual pun, a final zinger... "Ape-braham Lincoln", if you will.
There's nothing else to it. It's as simple as the final big, groaner laugh in a sitcom. The only reason it's garnering discussion is solely because we don't know precisely how Thade went back in time and made it to the planet Earth and brought about the ape revolution, blah blah blah. But even if this is explained to your satisfaction, it doesn't become meaningful or resonant or illuminating.
Give it a rest. There's no there there. Enjoy the movie for what it is, if you can. But let your brain cells alone... they have far more important work to do than trying to graft, post hoc, an intellectually satisfying ending onto a movie with a decidedly below-average I.Q.
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"Only one is a wanderer; two together are always going somewhere."

Link Removed
Al's Criterion Collection

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Even before the ending, the film wasn't that great. Tomb Raider was not great (I think it was excellent, but not because of superior acting and excellent plot presentation...) but it was still better than PotA.

 

[Dan Huey]

I know I posted a little hastily. It's not really about your comments, Jason. I've read too many stupid and immature comments made about this movie (not in this thread) from people who obviously want to join the band wagon and think it's cool to Ape-Bash. I almost didn't see this film due to all of the bashing hooplah, but I'm GLAD I finally did catch it. The only reviewer to trust is yourself.

 

[Ken Chan]

Now why'd you have to go and post that link? I was away for nearly 3 hours going through all the info on that site!

I get good links from others, and occasionally I like to "give back"
//Ken

 

[Jeff Kleist]

If you read the book, the ending makes total and perfect sense(because that's where it's from). It's the only aspect that survived. Both films are blasphemous, and a true movie of POTA needs to be made
jeff Kleist

 

[Danny Knapp]

I got to warn people that my message COULD be considered a *SPOILER*. Just for your own protection, see the poor movie first.
In my opinion the ending makes NO sense....ok...Mark Warlberg's character goes back in time (notice how all spaceships have a month/day/year which magically spin out of control) and ends up...well...in some kind of an altered past. Can you say, "Huh?" (or maybe...$equel?)
My best guess would be that he actually went FORWARD in time instead of backwards....the apes have become civilized and have technology now.
My only explanation is that Tim Burton is really a stupid person and that he didn't give much thought to the ending of the new (and pathetic) Planet of the Apes. The film had none of the original meaning intended to make people wake up from the atrocities of man.
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I dislike Tom Green!
[Edited last by Danny Knapp on August 16, 2001 at 02:29 PM]

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Spoiler:The thing is that he DID go into the future because his console told him that he was going into the future right before he landed on the planet and then went into the past when he returned to Earth.

 

[David Judah]

I just watched the DVD last night and I after I saw the ending, I thought maybe I had one too many beers and missed something earlier in the film that would explain the ending.

I did a search and found this thread, hoping that someone would have it figured out, but I guess I was right initially--the ending makes no sense.

Overall, I liked the film though--Heston's part was a nice addition and the DVD presentation was very good.

DJ

 

[Rich Malloy]

I said it before and I'll say it again: the ending is simply a joke, a visual pun, a final zinger... "Ape-braham Lincoln", if you will.

So, groan, roll your eyes, and move on, 'cause there's absolutely nothing else to it. It's as simple as the final big, groaner laugh in a sitcom. The only reason it garnered any discussion at all is solely because we don't know precisely how Thade went back in time and made it to the planet Earth and brought about the ape revolution, blah blah blah... But even if all this was explained to our satisfaction - even if new scenes are added that clearly indicate how this was accomplished - it doesn't then make the ending meaningful or resonant or illuminating. It would simply patch over a few glaring plotholes.

So, enjoy the movie for what it is, if you can, but let your brain cells alone... they have far more important work to do than trying to graft, post hoc, an intellectually satisfying ending onto a movie with a decidedly below-average I.Q.

 

[Chris Maynard]

The ending was explained to me by someone with a bit of insight to the film. It made perfect sense after a few obvious things were pointed out to me.

 

[David Judah]

...even if new scenes are added that clearly indicate how this was accomplished - it doesn't then make the ending meaningful or resonant or illuminating.

Yes, I agree for the first movie. As Burton says in the commentary, it gives whoever is involved in a sequel, should Fox decide to do one, somewhere to go with the story.

DJ

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The film ending doesn't make sense unless you consider the possibility of an alternate universe. If that really was the reasoning behind it, then I think the movie is even worse than I originally thought. I would have hoped for less of a cop-out.

If anyone can post an ending that actually makes sense without being too cheesy, then please do.

 

[Scott Calvert]

I can't decide which is worse. The fact that I don't understand the ending, or the fact that I don't give a shit.

Movies like this aren't worth the trouble.

 

[Chris Maynard]

The film ending doesn't make sense unless you consider the possibility of an alternate universe. If that really was the reasoning behind it, then I think the movie is even worse than I originally thought. I would have hoped for less of a cop-out.

Not true.

It makes sense once you figure out the puzzle.

I was fortunate enough to have it explained to me so I did not have to figure it out.

I thought the movie was well done. I would have chosen a different lead actor but other than that I thought it was entertaining.

 

[Ron Eastman]

Chris, please elaborate. Don't hold out on us.
The insert card practically spells out the answer, which is that Thade left in Delta pod and arrives on Earth at a time prior to Leo and sparks an ape revolution. It seems pretty simple, a real "Occam's razor" answer, but leaves one important question: If Planet Ape isn't Earth (there are two moons there), where did the horses come from?

 

[Chris Maynard]

Ron - You have it but you bring up an interesting question regarding the horses.

Were they on the mother ship????

I have only seen the film once but I picked up the disc tonight and I intend on trying to figure out the answer.