Planet of the Apes = Deep Philosophy, Man!

[jessica]

Who didn't??

Me. I was too mad to cry.

[Vortigern99]

Who didn't??

[monkey tennis]

I cried when I saw Tim Burton's Planet of the Ape's

[Vortigern99]

I watched it on DVD yesterday and got tears in my eyes in a few scenes. Am I going crazy? I've never had an emotional reaction to this movie; I always just thought it was a cool sci-fi/adventure film with some interesting philisophical points about the human species. But yesterday for some reason it seemed much deeper, much more allegorical, as though Taylor was the best and worst humanity had to offer -- best because of his indomitable spirit, his cleverness and resourcefulness; worst because he truly was a "born killer" -- and that the Apes' insight into our violent nature might truly fortell our doom.

Will we ever be able to lay down our weapons and live peacefully with one another, as the Apes appear to have done? Or will that peace come with the subjection of other animals, and at the expense of scientific truth? Do science and religion contradict each other? Do we need Sacred Scrolls to tell us how to live? (I know: no religion or politics, but I thought I'd raise these questions anyway as rhetorical.) The film is certainly bleak and cynical in its outlook.

Also, a techincal question: Why do the astronauts say early in the film that there's "no moon"? WTH?? Did the moon blow up with the nukes that destroyeed civilization? Weird.