Battle for the Planet of the Apes (51%)

The final chapter in the incredible Apes saga. The most suspenseful showdown ever filmed as two civilizations battle for the right to inherit what's left of the earth!

Battle for the Planet of the Apes is the only film in the series that, up until a few hours ago, I had never fully seen. Back when I was around 15, a friend and I had rented all the Ape films and spent the night watching them. It was all going well, but then we watched Conquest and man did we hate it. Then we put on Battle and it was even worse. In fact we never made it through the whole thing.

So a few hours ago I watched the whole film from start to finish. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, which I had believed to be a terrible movie wasn't as bad as I remembered so I had high hopes for Battle this time around. Unfortunately, Battle for the Planet of the Apes is pretty bad of a film. While it is at least watchable, it is rather sad to see the series crumble as it did here. This movie is like a TV version of Planet of the Apes; TV in execution, acting and effects. It did act as the 'pilot' for the short lived TV show so it's not really that much of a surprise, but like I said it is rather sad.

The story is told in flashback from about 150 years in the future (when the TV Show takes place I assume) and relates the story of Caesar (from Conquest) and his plight to make humans and apes live in peace and harmony together. Gorillas revolt and mutant humans attack and Caesar goes on a trek to see video footage of his parents. That's it. That's the story. All of it. It's weak and in regards to continuity with the other films, the logic is rather lacking.

For example, why does Caesar have trouble believing that he can hear and see his parents via tapes in an archive. After all he was born in a circus, in 1973, where he grew up to be just as intelligent as humans. So how come he had no knowledge of TV, tape or recording technology? Especially since he worked in an archive room of sorts in Conquest. Then there is the trek to the radiated city. How did they trek through the city without getting any radiation poisoning. And speaking of which, how did all this happen in the time span between Conquest and Battle. All apes speak now? They are all intelligent? The world is destroyed? The mutants are mutants already? All this in what, 10 years? It's illogical and rather daft.

The film itself is almost boring. As a Planet of the Apes fan it acts as slight passable entertainment but as a stand alone movie it falls apart on itself. Way to many shots of mutants crossing a dessert. Or seriously bland action. Here's how the action plays out when the mutants attack ape city. They drive towards ape city, they fire a gun, the apes fire a gun, a treehouse explodes, repeat, repeat, repeat, ad nauseam. The shots are so bland and boring and repetitive I could of swore they used the same shots more than once.

The acting is by far the worst of the whole series too. Roddy McDowall returns for the fourth time and his performance is decent but never reaches the heights he captured in either Escape or Conquest. Everyone else is ho hum to droll. It's almost as if those side characters with the wooden acting in all the past Apes films have been promoted to the leads. The acting isn't that bad but it comes pretty damn close.

The effects are weak, and other than the ape costumes, the only effect I can think of is a treehouse exploding which like I mentioned before might be the same shot reused over and over (or from different angles). The directing was bland and straight out of TV of that era. At times it feels like you are watching a Planet of the Apes version of MASH which in theory sounds like it might work but in reality it just makes you wish to be watching either of those instead. The editing is a boring cut and splice hack job with no pizzaz and for the first time the music comes of as generic and weak.

This movie really is a 'piss poor' attempt at continuing the Apes franchise. It really should have been straight to TV rather than being released on television. I really can't recommend anybody watch this except for three reasons. The first reason: you are watching the entire Planet of the Apes franchise in order and it therefore must be watched. The second reason: you've actually seen this movie before and you actually like it, or even worse, you love it! The third reason: you, like me, are a huge Planet of the Apes fan.


Film Rating: 51%

Breakdown (How Battle for the Planet of the Apes scored 51%):

Production Design: 6 out of 10
Cinematography: 5 out of 10
Re-playability: 4 out of 10
Originality: 4 out of 10
Costumes:  6 out of 10
Directing: 5 out of 10
Editing: 6 out of 10
Acting: 6 out of 10
Music: 5 out of 10

Script: 4 out of 10