BY: GURU JAY
Photos By: Wikimedia Commons
War for the Planet of the Apes is a fantastic conclusion to the Planet of the Apes franchise. I’ve seen all three movies in the theaters and give each one high praise. Here’s my analysis. The Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the first in the series, was a great start. And the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the second one, was extraordinary.
Overall, the acting was phenomenal. Andy Serkis portrays Caesar perfectly in every movie. His character literally evolves on screen. James Franco deserves credit for his contribution as Dr. Rodman in the original. Finally, Woody Harrelson deserves respect for his portrayal of the Colonel in the finale.
It’s hard to say which movie is the best because each movie has its own intrinsic value. The Rise contains the most science fiction. Sci-Fi lovers can appreciate the experiments on chimpanzees because that’s science fiction at its core. But I believe the Dawn contains the best scenes. Who can forget Koba’s iconic machine gun scene?
With that said, the Dawn is still not better than the Rise. What is the Dawn without the Rise? The Rise sets up the story so that the Dawn can be great. And the Dawn sets up the story so that War can be greater. Somehow they all work together.
However, as a standalone film I rank War higher than the others. The director did not hold back. Matt Reeves used cutting edge technology and advanced techniques. His directing has become better over the years. Plus, the cinematography is revolutionary. There are only a dozen or so movies with arguably better photography than War for the Planet of the Apes.
The writing is not all that good in the Dawn. But I must say, I’m impressed by the writing in War. It reminds me of the Rise.
Chime in your comments. What are your thoughts on the Planet of the Apes Trilogy?
I am Guru Jay launching into orbit 5-4-3-2-1!
