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Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes

2001120 minPG-13Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Director
Tim Burton
Starring
Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan

After a spectacular crash-landing on an uncharted planet, brash astronaut Leo Davidson finds himself trapped in a savage world where talking apes dominate the human race. Desperate to find a way home, Leo must evade the invincible gorilla army led by Ruthless General Thade.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Planet of the Apes?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Planet of the Apes streaming on Hulu and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Planet of the Apes?

Planet of the Apes earns 8 badges, led by Spectacle and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Planet of the Apes worth watching?

Planet of the Apes' Midcredits score is the 26th percentile of all films, from 422K ratings across 6 sources. 33% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

26th percentile

Better received than 26% of films

40th percentile among Action25th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)27th
Approval (how many liked it)27th

54 /100

27th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Action27th percentile among 2000s

Critics 50 · Audience 55

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

33% liked it

27th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Action25th percentile among 2000s
33% rated it 7–1067% rated it 1–6

Critics 42% · Audience 27%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 8 wins / 32 noms overall

  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Costume Design
  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Make Up/Hair

98th percentile

422K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Action97th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 4% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$100M
Opening weekend$69M
Domestic gross$180M
Worldwide gross$362M

Returned 3.6× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a visually spectacular, effects-driven spectacle with a confusing and unsatisfying ending.

Fans praised

  • Rick Baker's prosthetic ape makeup and costumes are groundbreaking
  • Tim Roth's ferocious, scene-stealing performance as General Thade
  • Visually stunning production design and Burton's atmospheric world-building

Detractors panned

  • Muddled, plot-hole-riddled script with a nonsensical twist ending
  • Underdeveloped characters and wooden lead performance from Mark Wahlberg
  • Shallow, action-over-substance remake that misses the original's satirical bite

What stands out

Effects and spectacle85

Ape makeup and animatronics praised; action and battle scenes exhilarating

Cinematography75

striking visuals, strong production design, some set pieces immersive

AtmosphereDivisive70

Burton's dark, immersive world-building; some find it too dark and murky

ActingDivisive62

Tim Roth and Helena Bonham Carter shine; Wahlberg criticized as bland

DialogueDivisive35

clunky, on-the-nose, with forced one-liners

Characters28

paper-thin, underdeveloped humans; Thade memorable but one-note

Plot and storyDivisive25

chase-driven, riddled with plot holes, loses original's thematic depth

EndingDivisive15

infamous twist widely derided as nonsensical and unsatisfying

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 13 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Planet of the Apes like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrillingDread
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its science-fiction adventure straight, with a sense of apocalyptic peril and a spirit of adventure.
The rideSustained tension and action throughout, with a heavy, shocking reveal in the final moments.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Leo's launch through his crash, captivity, rebellion, and return.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

The answer rests on this: UnsettlingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe twist ending leaves a lingering unease about what Leo has returned to, mixed with the bittersweetness of the bonds he formed on Ashlar.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeAstronaut Leo Davidson crash-lands on a planet where intelligent apes dominate humans. He escapes captivity, leads a group of human rebels, and uncovers the planet's secrets while trying to return home.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Oppression · 4% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsSurvival
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the systematic oppression of humans by an ape regime and one man's fight for freedom.
StanceThe film warns against the dangers of tyranny and the potential for hierarchical oppression, seen through the ape society's treatment of humans.

The world

Far futureWildernessInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Danny Elfman
SettingThe ape-ruled planet Ashlar in 5021 A.D., with ruins of a human spacecraft as a holy temple.
MusicElfman's score blends tribal percussion with classical swells to underscore the primal conflict.

Content guide

Is Planet of the Apes okay for kids?

PG-13

Planet of the Apes is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some sequences of action/violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (53/100), sexual content at mild (19/100), language at mild (30/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (21/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). Overall it is heavier than 32% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 24 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12PG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Belgium16
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Greece13
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 23% of all filmsHeavier than 32% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 57%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 28%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 20%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 19%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 49%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 57% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Planet of the Apes have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Planet of the Apes?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Mark Wahlberg
as Captain Leo Davidson
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tim Roth
as Thade
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Helena Bonham Carter
as Ari
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Clarke Duncan
as Attar
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Paul Giamatti
as Limbo
Estella Warren
as Daena
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
as Krull
David Warner
as Senator Sandar
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Kris Kristofferson
as Karubi
Erick Avari
as Tival

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Planet of the Apes?

Movies like Planet of the Apes include Planet of the Apes (1968), War of the Worlds (2005) and John Carter (2012). Of the 12 closest matches, most are dystopian films, and several are stories about aliens.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its praise for effects. Those cards say what else they share.

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