PLANET OF THE APES (2001)

'''PLANET OF THE APES (2001). Tim Burton, dir.''' Pierre Boulle, source novel. William Broyles Jr., Lawrence Konner, Mark D. Rosenthal, script (with nods to the original film series). Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, featured players. USA: The Zanuck Company (prod.), 20th Century Fox (prod. and major dist.), 2001.

One can make sense of the ending (and perhaps spoil it for those who like surprises) by seeing Tim Roth's General Thade—a brilliant but nasty chimpanzee—bringing freedom to the apes of Earth by bringing them technology, possibly including a space-pod vehicle, definitely including a handgun. See in, this Category, BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES. Cf. and contrast 2001: A Space Odyssey (novel) (listed under Fiction and Drama). Note that the ape in this PLANET who damns to hell weapon-wielding humans is an uncredited Charlton Heston. (Heston uses the line to end the original Planet of the Apes [1968]; Heston in 2001 was president of the US National Rifle Association, most famous as a pro-gun lobby.)