Review of Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) by Marie-Francoise S — 13 Feb 2009
The original Planet Of The Apes was unforgettable, and so is this one, but not because it's brilliant and compelling. Instead, it's a mixture of both retreading familiar ground and visiting far out of left-field material.
The first half of the film plays very similarly to the original film, this time with James Franciscus filling in for Charlton Heston. His performance is solid in this film, but when good ol' Chuck shows up at the end, Ben Hur steals the show.
The movie takes an incredibly bizarre and questionable turn towards the end, and the final scene is reminiscent of the shocker ending of the first Apes movie. For some, this will be the nail in the coffin, and for the most part, it is.
The first half or so of the film is simply exciting and entertaining. There's also some interesting aspects of the simian culture and society that was not present in the first film. But the weird and frustrating second half diminishes the experience.
But Heston's appearance is well-appreciated, even if the film ends on an abruptly depressing note.
This review of Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) was written by Marie-Francoise S on 13 Feb 2009.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes has generally received mixed reviews.
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