Audiences will soon be favored with a new Planet of the Apes film to add to the long-beloved franchise. Since 1968, when we first dared to think of a world where apes rule and humans are slaves, these sci-fi adventure films have thrilled us with complex sociological themes, special effects, outstanding costumes, and talented actors. But which is the best? Which falls flat?
As technology has evolved, so have the special effects and locations. Battle scenes became bigger and grander in scope. Costumes became more elaborate with a blend of CGI and practical suits. What has stayed consistent is the powerhouse performances from some of our favorite actors.
From Jeff Burton as Dodge in the original 1968 Planet of the Apes and Michael Clark Duncan in 2001’s Planet of the Apes to David Oyelowo as Steven Jacobs in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Jocko Sims as Werner and Peter Macon as Luca in War for the Planet of the Apes, these actors have left a lasting impact on audiences worldwide. Characters in the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, portrayed by Peter Macon and Eka Darville, are easy standouts and fan favorites.
These actors and the various filmmakers behind the camera have contributed to the success of the Planet of the Apes franchise, bringing memorable characters to life and captivating audiences. BGN’s ranking of the Planet of the Apes franchise starts with the best. Let us know what you think.
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Everything about this film, from the actors to the direction and the action, places it at number one on this list. A war film at heart, Dawn shows the good, the bad, and the deplorable. That civil war story, combined with the humans arming themselves with guns, led to disastrous results that audiences were invested in the entire two hours and 10 minutes. When we talk about films whose sequel was better than the first, this is one of them. Character development and drama were peak cinema. With themes of cultural animosity, hatred, and trust issues, this film still makes a statement 10 years later.
- Planet of the Apes (1968)
“You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!” It’s an iconic line from an iconic movie for all you trivia nerds. 1968’s Planet of the Apes is the original that wowed audiences then and now and remains a solid film with important themes with its commentary on what humanity is missing, where it falls short, and where it thrives. It is an ambitious film that succeeded in its expansion of imagination. It is a classic sci-fi adventure. It’s powerful, exciting, and frightening at the same time.
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
The tall grass scene, reminiscent of raptors hunting humans in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, that we see in the trailer (no spoilers) immediately had my vote for one of the best films in the Planet of the Apes franchise. What’s lacking in action is made up by character development. We learn so much about this clan of apes that it becomes more character-driven than anything else. What some may deem slow and drawn out is patience and great direction in moving the story along. I recommend seeing it in IMAX for full effect. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes comes out May 10, 2024.
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
It’s the start of something new! When a cure for Alzheimer’s disease results in an extremely high intelligence in a chimpanzee named Caesar, you’ve grabbed my attention. It’s exciting to see commentary on present-day advances in medicine and technology ruining the world instead of “alien” planets and distant futures. It’s more of a sci-fi horror film audiences have wanted from Planet of the Apes — fantastic tension build-up while also allowing the audience to care about Caesar and what happens to the rest of the world from the beginning. The deep dive into computer-generated simians sometimes dissolved the cinematic allusions, but audiences knew the technology would only get better.
- War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
With a core understanding of the franchise, War thrived on the idea that humans, not apes, would be the ones to humankind. The film relies on cinematic and biblical references that are all too familiar with several classics referenced. As the Colonel, Woody Harrelson was comical yet despicable at the same time. Overall, the film is entertaining with its cinema-changing CGI tactics and intense realism, even if it is a little too long and touches on the overdramatic.
- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
Time Travel! The only way for apes to survive nuclear war is time travel. Picture Los Angeles in the 1970s… but with talking apes. It gives off major made-for-television vibes. The whole thing reminds me of something out of the Twilight Zone. It is entertaining and full of emotional pathos, yet at times jarring to watch. This was an encouraging addition to the franchise. Roddy McDowell as Cornelius and Kim Hunter as Dr. Zira find favor with the humans and the audience with their personalities despite their ape appearance.
- Planet of the Apes (2001)
While some would argue this is one of the worst remakes in history, I don’t think it’s that bad. It tried too hard to be like its predecessor, down to the shared kiss between an ape and a human. Was it meant to be comical? Probably not. This isn’t Tim Burton’s best film, nor Mark Wahlberg’s. The energy isn’t there. As Captain Leo Davidson, Wahlberg has his first run-in with intelligent apes who can talk while humans are enslaved, yet he has no natural reaction. He sees this for the first time, and his response is mediocre. Even with an unsteady script and a weak main character, 2001’s Planet of the Apes is entertaining. The action makes it a fun addition to the franchise.
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
The second film in the franchise is almost on par with feelings toward 2001’s Planet of the Apes. The difference is that Wahlberg gives us very little, while Charlton Heston gives us all the drama. Heston is a brilliant actor but can sometimes be over the top in these ape films. The film is entertaining, but director Ted Post had me rolling my eyes at telepathic humans who lived underground and worshipped a bomb. I couldn’t help but laugh at genuinely bizarre moments. I had no qualms with Taylor, the original movie’s hero, activating the missile and killing the planet. Goodbye. I don’t want to see that in a future installment.
- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Planet of the Apes films are riddled with social and political commentary but usually rely on audiences to interpret, consider, and reflect. Conquest misses in its blatant disregard for a film audience to think for themselves. There is a forcefulness to make the audience acknowledge society as a doomed, uncompromising enemy of everything. Dystopian future films can be fun to watch, but this one focused too hard on race and the idea of “the other” as subservient. It comes off as angry and bitter.
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
I recently rewatched this one and was immediately put off by the extremely low budget. For the ape characters, Caesar and his people were stuck somewhere between evolving and devolving. With a civil war occurring in Ape City and a war with apes versus post-nuclear war humans, there was too much happening. The film couldn’t decide which it wanted to dive deeper into. Ironically, this idea was done better in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes. So it wasn’t the idea but the execution, putting it at the bottom of the barrel.
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