The ‘Planet of the Apes’ reboot series, which launched in 2011 with Rupert Wyatt’s ‘Planet of the Apes: Prevolution’ and was later expanded with two more installments by Matt Reeves, is for me a very special highlight in the recent film history. .
To be honest, I had zero expectations for the series and that’s why I ignored it for a long time. However, “Prevolution” really impressed me because of its emotional origin story about ape rule and the second part “Planet of the Apes: Revolution” even became one of the best war films of all time for me. When I saw the conclusion of the Caesar trilogy “Planet of the Apes: Survival” in the cinema, I was blown away again.
I could hardly believe how excited I was about this series, which will soon continue with a fourth part. Whether it is because of the bombastic images, the heartbreaking plot or the lifelike emotions of the main character, which were created on the computer. “Planet of the Apes: Survival” is so much more than just a blockbuster where apes and humans smash each other’s heads.
All three previous parts of the series are current in the Disney+ streaming subscription available and so you can easily get your own idea of the great “Planet of the Apes: Survival”:
This is what “Planet of the Apes 3: Survival” is about
The third part of the reboot series takes place two years after the events of its predecessor “Planet of the Apes: Revolution,” which led to humans and apes going to war with each other. The leader of the primates, Caesar (Andy Serkis), is anything but a warmonger. The righteous monkey wants nothing more than to live in peace with his family.
But the fronts have hardened. One day, when the army colonel’s (Woody Harrelson) unit attacks his tribe, the otherwise sober Caesar also blows a fuse. He vows revenge and sets out to meet his new enemy, who runs an entire prison camp full of monkeys and uses brutal measures.
That’s why “Planet of the Apes: Survival” is an extremely good blockbuster
Personally, I found “Planet of the Apes” exciting on many levels. The incredibly strong visual effects are particularly striking. The monkeys not only look believable and realistic from a distance. Caesar in particular looks as real as a real person in his close-ups.
Despite the CGI look, Andy Serkis manages to convey an incredible facet of human (or ape?) emotion and would have earned an Oscar nomination for this performance (as he did for Gollum in “Lord of the Rings”).
Caesar’s eyes reflect nuanced feelings such as regret, hope and longing, giving “Planet of the Apes: Survival” great emotional depth. The finale of the trilogy pulls at the heart, whether it is when Caesar mourns his fallen comrades or when he experiences firsthand the full extent of slavery in the Colonel’s labor camp.
All the better that we are presented with this already strong story in the form of a gigantic spectacle that has every conceivable blockbuster quality. “Planet of the Apes: Survival” is not only something for the heart, but also something for the eyes and ears.
There, in the middle of the deepest snow, a bright pink blooming cherry tree awaits us, shining like a beacon of life in the midst of all the death and suffering. And When composer Michael Giacchino accompanies the warlike clashes with pounding drums, it intensifies the brutal action scenes, which are already exciting thanks to their well-mixed soundscape.
But whether you can enjoy these qualities as much as I did, who saw the film in the cinema on a large screen and with Dolby Atmos sound, also depends on whether you have a good soundbar and a large television.
But even without the full blockbuster feel, “Planet of the Apes: Survival” is an extremely strong representative of a franchise that always pleasantly surprised me from part to part. I am convinced: With the exception of ‘Lord of the Rings’, there has been no film series in the past twenty years that has maintained such a consistently high standard from start to finish. In any case, I’m curious whether the upcoming fourth part of the reboot series (theatrical release: May 23, 2024), which will follow the Caesar trilogy many years later, can keep up with this extraordinary quality: