Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now out in theaters! While this is usually that time where everyone does their rankings of all ten Planet of the Apes movies, I’m gonna do something a little different.
Truth be told, I have not seen every single Planet of the Apes movie out there. Outside of this reboot, the only other entries in this franchise that I have seen is the original Planet of the Apes and the Tim Burton remake from 2001. That leaves about four other films in this series that I have yet to they.
So, instead of lying to you all and just place the four other apes flicks I haven’t see in whatever placement, why not just rank the four installments in the rebooted series? After all, these contain some of the most beloved films in this franchise’s stored history! Why not give them the complete spotlight on this occasion, especially in regards to the newest film in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
If I’m able to watch the other Planet of the Apes films by the time that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hits digital and/or physical media, I might do a complete and full ranking of the entire franchise. But for now, just the reboot!
Let’s not waste anymore time and get straight down to ranking these acclaimed reboot!
4.) Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Don’t let the fact that the newest entry in this reboot is in last deceive you into thinking that it’s not worth your time and money! It’s in fact, worth both! Despite Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves no longer being behind the camera and Caesar no longer being the main ape protagonist we follow, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is able to pick up the slack from it’s predecessors in the best way possible.
The new apes we focus on are as likable and compelling as the apes in the last three movies, the action is thoroughly entertaining and thrilling, the world building has never been more intriguing, and of course, the visuals and motion capture is completely off the charts. It may not be quite as impressive from an emotional and depth stand point as Dawn or War but just like with Rise, it’s able to stand strongly as it’s own engaging ape film while planting the seeds for what the future for the apes and remain human race can be if the story shall continue.
This is honestly a film I can see moving up on this list and even on my full ranking of the Planet of the Apes movies. The only real thing holding it back is the sense of familiarity with the storytelling along with the new ape of Noa not being as close to an engaging protagonist as Caesar. Even so, I’m fully on board for any potential sequel with these new characters and have fully confidence that Wes Ball is gonna deliver with the live-action Legend of Zelda movie.
3.) Rise of the Planet of the Apes
I don’t think anybody saw the awesomeness that is Rise of the Planet of the Apes coming. At a time where Hollywood was overblowing franchises with consecutives reboots and remakes along with coming off the rock bottom of the Apes franchise that was Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, this film had every reason to fail. Instead, it just about surprised everyone in every single way possible.
It introduces us to one of the finest film protagonists in recent memory with Caesar and a masterful Andy Serkis, that solidified himself as the king of motion capture performances. Seeing this beloved ape take his first step to becoming a special kind of ape raised by humans, meeting his fellow kind that would later become his friends, and planting the seeds of the future with a world dominated by apes is able to be as thrilling and engaging as one could possibly imagine. And you would be lying to yourself if you claim you didn’t get goosebumps at the moment that Caesar screamed “NOOOOOO!!!!”
Even if thin human characterization (outside of James Franco’s father) and some rushed story elements holds it back from being up there with it’s next two predecessors, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is about as good as a reboot and trilogy starter can possibly be. It just goes to show you that reboots and prequels can in fact be just as good if not better than the original films if the people behind it but the hard work and effort to do so.
2.) War for the Planet of the Apes
The final chapter to Caesar’s story included with this bleak but brilliant tale about the humans and apes going at it for one final showdown that will determine the fate of planet Earth. Despite what the title might suggest, War for the Planet of the Apes isn’t so much about a war that the humans and apes are fighting against each other but among themselves. This sees Caesar being a war within himself after witnessing those close to him being slaughter, crossing that fine line from being that gifted ape he was raised as by humans while also being the vicious ape that his kind was always suppose to be.
This part war/part revenge tale/part prison movie is able to bring the full three-movie long story arc to a satisfying conclusion with the ape characters we’ve been following since the first movie. Seeing Caesar being able to speak fully human and see his ape clan be as human as an ape can get is really intriguing to see, showcasing how far these characters have come. That’s not going into the tremendous motion capture work and visual effects, the hardcore action whenever it shows us, and Woody Harrelson’s The Colonel being the best and most menacing antagonist perhaps in this entire franchise.
While some might be underwhelmed that the film is not as “action heavy” that the title of the film might suggest, War for the Planet of the Apes is still able to tell an engaging and unconventional tale of it’s own that brings everything full circle in a very satisfying way. It’s able to close the final chapter of one book while getting you interested to read the next one.
1.) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
If you want a textbook example of not only how great a Planet of the Ape movie can get but how great summer movie blockbuster can get, this would be exactly what you find in that dictionary. Released in a loaded 2014 movie season that was serving constant bangers from Memorial Day to August, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was able to stand greatly among them along with the other great blockbusters of the 2010s.
This is a layered, three-dimensional, and at times unpredictable film that is able to tell a cautionary tale about the roles that two different species play and every single one of them looking for the best possible outcome for themselves. Instead of going with a conventional “apes good, human bad” approach, Dawn instead shows the pros and cons of both the humans and apes, highlighting the gray area that is consuming both sides, as the two sides are trying to make for the best possible future for themselves in the worst possible times. We also can’t forget the spectacular visuals and motion capture of the apes that has never been better than it has been here, great action, perfect tension throughout, and one of the coolest and underrated villains in recent memory in Koba, played perfectly by Toby Kebbell. Even the human drama works well this time (Although, I could have used more Gary Oldman and less of that one-note asshole) and helps make the scenes with the apes even better.
Perfectly paced, perfectly written, perfectly directed, and perfectly acted (Give Andy Serkis an Oscar already!), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is not only the best in this rebooted series of films, it’s quite possibly the best Planet of the Apes film to date. Although I still have more ape films to see, I’m willing to bet they don’t come close to topping this absolute triumph of filmmaking. As much as we like to complain about the overabundance of reboots, remakes, sequels, prequels, etc.., I’m willing to bet that if the majority of them were even half as good as this film and all four of these films are in general, we would have very little to complain about. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is blockbusters at it’s absolute finest, giving me all hope that we are still capable of making great franchise installments.
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