Here is the final chapter in the PLANET OF THE APES series, and it's one of the most unjustly maligned sequels in film history. Sure, it's easily the least of the five movies, but it's still entertaining and has something to say, which is a quality that's usually missing with most fifth entries of a long franchise, and definitely in science fiction films in general these days.
It's now some years after the events of CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, and we learn that much has happened in the interim; most importantly, man must have pushed a panic button during the subsequent ape wars, as much of the Earth (or at least the North American section of it) has become radioactive wasteland, thanks to the detonation of some kind of bomb. BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES centers on one small community of survivors - who are not necessarily supposed to be considered "the entire world population," as so many detractors mistake when they like to condemn its small budget - but just a relatively modest group of apes and humans in one specific area who try to re-build their lives in peace. Can it ever be done?
Roddy McDowall returns as Caesar, who is more benevolent than he was in CONQUEST, but still has trouble completely trusting humans at this point in time - and even, as he grows to learn, some apes! Probably due to that plague that befell the world decades ago, the simians are still increasing in speech and intelligence at an incredible rate. While apes are the dominant species in this particular neighborhood, humans are treated with at least a moderate amount of respect, except by self-appointed gorilla general Aldo (Claude Akins), who would prefer to exterminate all of mankind instead of tolerating them.
There's still a point to the series, although by now it has reached the level of repetition -- "will man and ape ever be able to survive together as equals"? Not only do Aldo and his gorillas despise the humans of their own village, but a group of mutated human survivors from the old city are still alive and vow to wage war on Caesar's tranquil little town. It should also be noted that there was a very poignant subplot originally filmed which involved the mutants and their devotion to an Alpha/Omega bomb (making these beings the likely ancestors of the ones we'd later see in BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES). Without these scenes, the film isn't as intelligent as it might have otherwise been, and as of this writing the footage has only been made available on a Japanese laserdisc.
I think the casting was wonderful this time around. I mean, was Claude Akins perfect for a gorilla general or what? And Paul Williams was a natural for his part as Virgil, the wise little orangutan. John Huston as the Lawgiver and Lew Ayres as Mandemus were also interesting choices.
Yes, again the money was still tight for this chapter, so those expecting a huge blown-out, full scale war should be advised that it's more along the lines of ... well, a "battle". The movie is supposed to take place in a barren, scantily populated wasteland; why so much more money was thought to be needed under those circumstances is beyond me.
As a big fan of the APES films, I waited almost 30 years for Twentieth Century-Fox to revisit this series. There were still plenty of possibilities that could have been explored: what other forms of life and civilizations still existed in other locations throughout America? Whatever happened to apes and people over in the other countries? Apparently, none of that mattered to Fox. Like many, I guess they just don't "get " this saga. Instead, when they finally got around to making another film it was yet another needless "re-imagining" that was rushed out with no idea as to what made these films so engaging to those who liked them in the first place. *** out of ****
It's now some years after the events of CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, and we learn that much has happened in the interim; most importantly, man must have pushed a panic button during the subsequent ape wars, as much of the Earth (or at least the North American section of it) has become radioactive wasteland, thanks to the detonation of some kind of bomb. BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES centers on one small community of survivors - who are not necessarily supposed to be considered "the entire world population," as so many detractors mistake when they like to condemn its small budget - but just a relatively modest group of apes and humans in one specific area who try to re-build their lives in peace. Can it ever be done?
Roddy McDowall returns as Caesar, who is more benevolent than he was in CONQUEST, but still has trouble completely trusting humans at this point in time - and even, as he grows to learn, some apes! Probably due to that plague that befell the world decades ago, the simians are still increasing in speech and intelligence at an incredible rate. While apes are the dominant species in this particular neighborhood, humans are treated with at least a moderate amount of respect, except by self-appointed gorilla general Aldo (Claude Akins), who would prefer to exterminate all of mankind instead of tolerating them.
There's still a point to the series, although by now it has reached the level of repetition -- "will man and ape ever be able to survive together as equals"? Not only do Aldo and his gorillas despise the humans of their own village, but a group of mutated human survivors from the old city are still alive and vow to wage war on Caesar's tranquil little town. It should also be noted that there was a very poignant subplot originally filmed which involved the mutants and their devotion to an Alpha/Omega bomb (making these beings the likely ancestors of the ones we'd later see in BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES). Without these scenes, the film isn't as intelligent as it might have otherwise been, and as of this writing the footage has only been made available on a Japanese laserdisc.
I think the casting was wonderful this time around. I mean, was Claude Akins perfect for a gorilla general or what? And Paul Williams was a natural for his part as Virgil, the wise little orangutan. John Huston as the Lawgiver and Lew Ayres as Mandemus were also interesting choices.
Yes, again the money was still tight for this chapter, so those expecting a huge blown-out, full scale war should be advised that it's more along the lines of ... well, a "battle". The movie is supposed to take place in a barren, scantily populated wasteland; why so much more money was thought to be needed under those circumstances is beyond me.
As a big fan of the APES films, I waited almost 30 years for Twentieth Century-Fox to revisit this series. There were still plenty of possibilities that could have been explored: what other forms of life and civilizations still existed in other locations throughout America? Whatever happened to apes and people over in the other countries? Apparently, none of that mattered to Fox. Like many, I guess they just don't "get " this saga. Instead, when they finally got around to making another film it was yet another needless "re-imagining" that was rushed out with no idea as to what made these films so engaging to those who liked them in the first place. *** out of ****