War for the Planet of the Apes (Matt Reeves)

[Ezee E]

So good for the first 90 minutes that I'll forgive the last thirty where things just seem forced. An avalanche out of nowhere (???) and the extra army that seems to only really be there for added spectacle.

The reason this works is that the relationships and attitudes of the apes is so well done, that you don't even think about it as a special effect. For a while, this has an epic feeling like a classic Bridge on the River Kwai or Lawrence of Arabia feel. For a movie about monkeys, that seems to be a little over the top, but it really does work for quite a while.

[transmogrifier]

Best of the three. Shares with Logan a bone-deep melancholy.

[Grouchy]

How many of you have seen the original Planet of the Apes saga? Because the appeal of those to modern day audiences is that they are hardcore, thoughtful science fiction movies about evolution. They are Hollywood with a message. And I find it simply miraculous that Matt Reeves has turned these remakes into something that resembles those feelings.

This without even talking about the fact that this movie is gorgeous and fucking exciting. Chris Nolan should be taking notes.

[Morris Schæffer]

How many of you have seen the original Planet of the Apes saga? Because the appeal of those to modern day audiences is that they are hardcore, thoughtful science fiction movies about evolution. They are Hollywood with a message. And I find it simply miraculous that Matt Reeves has turned these remakes into something that resembles those feelings.

This without even talking about the fact that this movie is gorgeous and fucking exciting. Chris Nolan should be taking notes.

The original is very good, but it has been a while. I also saw Escape From the Planet of the Apes, all of the other ones I do not remember at all.

Dunkirk is more consistent for me from start to finish, WotPotA becomes simply too Hollywoody by the end.

[Dukefrukem]

I have the box set, but I have only watched the original.

[Devlin]

I'm a big fan of the original series. The movies are a bit uneven in quality, content and consistency, but very entertaining. The original is simply one of the best science fiction movies ever, and still holds up well. The second film (Beneath) is a wanna be sequel that admirably captures the tone of the first, but lacks the directorial and screenwriting skills to be seriously compared (similar to Jaws 2 and it's relationship to its predecessor). The third film (Escape) has a ridiculously flawed concept, but once you get past that it's a very enjoyable twist on the first film. My favorite of the sequels is the fourth (Conquest). There are two versions. The theatrical cut is good, but the director's cut is much better. It's basically the same film with some added and cut scenes which give the film more weight, especially the ending which has a very foreboding conclusion, unlike the theatrical cut which is more hopeful. The fifth film (Battle) takes it's cue from Conquest's theatrical ending and comes across as more of a watered down kid's movie. Worth watching, but very lightweight and definitely the worst film in the series.
I think the current trilogy is outstanding, and deserves it's reputation as one of the best trilogies around.
On a side note, there was the tv series in the early 70's designed to cash in on the films' popularity. It's not bad, but it lacks the satirical punch of the films. It is also hindered by 70's tv production values and the fact that tv science fiction at that time was not taken seriously. The show had only 14 episodes before being cancelled. Recently the El Rey network has been showing the series and I've caught a few episodes. As I said, taken for what its is, it's not bad.

[Grouchy]

Yeah, none of them are great movies except for the first one, but they have such outlandish concepts. The first sequel has the subterranean people with the atomic bomb which just blew my mind when I first saw it.

[Devlin]

Yeah, none of them are great movies except for the first one, but they have such outlandish concepts. The first sequel has the subterranean people with the atomic bomb which just blew my mind when I first saw it.

Yeah, it's a cool concept and the movie actually works better as a stand alone film than a companion to the first.

[Dukefrukem]

This was an absolute dud. I do not understand the praise for this franchise. Woody Harrelson's character left me hopelessly underwhelmed despite the assassination scene being incredibly tense. Was this movie merely an excuse to explain why humans can't talk in the original? Is Amiah Miller supposed to be Linda Harrison?