Review of Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) by Bradley F — 13 Jan 2009

This is the fifth and final installment of the Planet of the Apes movie series. I think it did a good job of wrapping everything up.

The movie concerns the world 20 years after Caeser's ape revolution. Man has destroyed himself with nuclear weapons, and the apes and some humans are living in a semblance of harmony in a small agricultural village close by the city where they came from.

This movie gives you some background information on how things became the way they were in the first movie. You'll see the apes wearing the clothes they had in the first movie, which appear to be modified variations of the clothing they were required to wear while in servitude to humans. The only ones that broke the trend were the gorillas. They changed their outfits entirely. That may have been out of necessity, since they formed themselves into an army of sorts, but then again it was probably out of arrogance.

The gorillas, of all the simians that lived in the village, seemed to be the most ignorant, stupid, and arrogant. Of all of them, they were in fact the only ones that seemed that way. They harbored a hatred for humans, and a contempt for their fellow simians. The gorilla that placed himself in their leadership position, as general, was named Aldo. He was very proud, but not too bright. He was ambitious, but brutish in his tactics.

This movie is a story of good conquering evil, through evils own folly. You also get to see how Caeser's foreknowledge, handed down from his parents, along with guidance from his orangutan friend, allows him to alter the future, creating a peaceful, harmonious coexistence for humans and apes. This movie emphasizes the importance of equality among people. It promotes friendship and cooperation. It also demonstrates that no person is sacrosanct.

Enjoy!