Alright! Today I'm reviewing the Planet of the Apes trilogy, specifically the prequel series that came out from 2011 to 2017 and told the tale of a chimpanzee named Caesar, a modified chimpanzee who gains super intelligence, and an eventual virus that destroys most of humanity and sets the stage for a, you guessed, it, planet of the apes.
The first in the trilogy, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, is quite possibly my favorite. While it's not a slow think-piece like its sequels, it's a bit more exciting and dramatic, with the callbacks and references to the original film being fun reversals and the supporting human cast the most fun of the bunch. It sets the stage for the emotional journey Caesar is about to go through, and the deft direction from Rupert Wyatt makes it one of the best "origin" stories in a decade where we got a billion origin stories.
However, and this goes for all the sequels, Rise is cemented by the performance of Andy Serkis. After doing motion capture for Gollum and King Kong, Serkis takes on the leader of the ape uprising and gives a surprisingly emotional performance... we're a long way from the rubber masks of the '60s. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is perfectly paced, beautifully scored, and even ends on a triumphant note that stands as one of the trilogy's best moments (10/10).
The next film in the trilogy, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, gives the franchise over to Matt Reeves, known for his work on Cloverfield and The Batman. Much like the latter, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a slow and visually stunning work that dazzles the eyes as well as the heart through a surprisingly mature and Empire Strikes Back-like story, expanding on the characters and world established in unexpected and exciting ways.
However, it's also my least favorite in the trilogy. The runtime is a bit much (2 hours 10 mins), and the slower pace adds a few minutes. The human ensemble is also the least compelling among the trilogy, and the main conflict wherein they fight Koba, a bonobo, feels a bit silly when taken at a glance. Luckily for us all, Michael Giacchino is scoring the movie, and that takes it to greatness (8/10).
The final film in the trilogy, War for the Planet of the Apes, is just beautiful. Everything about it - the emotional weight, the way it sets up the original film, the performance of Serkis, the visuals, music, and final conflict are all perfect ends for the characters we've seen grow. It's a visually stunning work, combining state-of-the-art visual effects with an Academy-worthy performance (Seriously, how has Serkis not gotten an Oscar for any of his motion capture roles?). Caesar goes to his darkest place yet in this movie, and the look of predetermined sadness in Serkis' digital eyes are surprisingly effective
I mean, you have to think - this is a movie about talking apes. The original is a kitschy classic and the predecessors are fun but mostly standalone films, tying it all together this well should be impossible. But alas, Caesar ends this movie as one of the most well-developed and tragic characters of the 2010s. It's truly unbelievable how well they were able to make these movies and how emotional and relevant all of them turned out to be. My only real complaint is that the prison break sequence goes on for a bit long and the tone is a bit too silly for the vibe the movie has (10/10).
The Planet of the Apes trilogy, be it a reboot, prequel, or loose sequels, are all undeniably fantastic. They're some of the most unconventional blockbusters ever, and certainly some of the most unique movies you'll ever see. The settings are lush and vibrant, the titular ape is unbelievably well-developed, and the music is all absolutely fantastic. They're fantastic movies through and through, the epitome of what franchise blockbusters should be. Here's to hoping that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn't disappoint.
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| What a journey. |
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