Planet of the Apes (a look at the complete series)

Okay, so there’s a new Planet of the Apes movie coming out this summer and judging by the trailer, it looks good. So to celebrate, let’s look at the long history of the Planet of the Apes movies. P.S I’m not going to look at any of the TV shows or independent spinoffs, I’m just looking at the 7 theatrical movies.   

                                                                  
                                                                       Planet of the Apes (1968)

        The original Planet of the Apes is widely regarded as one of the greatest Sci-Fi classics of all time and for a good reason. The action may not be that exciting but the drama is still very strong, the ape make up is incredible, the cinematography and landscape are riveting spectacles and there are plenty of quotable lines of dialog “Get your stinking paws off of me you dammed dirty ape!” The final shot of the statue of liberty is one of the most iconic and disturbing images to end a film. But beyond all of that, this movie really raises some thought provoking questions on our culture and it stands as a rich warning story of ware humanity can and may ultimately lead to in the future, extinction by our own stupidity.  

                                                      Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

       At first it seems like a good follow up to the first film but when the characters discover the underground society of people who worship an atom bomb, it suddenly feels like a completely different movie. Most of the characters from the first movie only make brief appearances but there are some questions from the first film that do get answered and it does provide some enjoyment.  

                                                    Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

        Of the 4 sequels to the first film, this one is easily the best and most character driven. You find yourself getting really attached to the two lead apes (Zira & Cornelius) as they try to make piece with the human race. It’s like a role reversal of the first film and is more compelling and touching then other entries in the series, despite some stupid moments. Oh, almost forgot to mention a small yet still moving performance from Ricardo Montalban.

                                                         Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

      Probably the darkest, angriest and most disturbing entry in the series (as well as the main inspiration for the new Planet of the Apes movie). An ape named Caesar (the son of Zira & Cornelius) is convinced that humans are evil and he leads an all out attack against humanity. For the most part, there’s hardly anything happening in this film, and it’s not until the very end that things get interesting and exciting. For the most part, it’s just sad and often boring. It is the first and only film in the series that a character actually says the title “planet of the apes” in a sentence.

                                                            Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

        The fifth entry in the series is critically regarded as the worst of all the Planet of the Apes movies and while I do agree that it’s the weakest, it’s not terrible, I’ve seen worse. I actually think it’s more entertaining than Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and it brings a satisfying conclusion to the series, with a big battle and apes making peace with humans. But there are plenty of problems, the acting is a little corny, the plot is lame, most of the characters aren't interesting and what the heck was up with that ape statue crying at the end of the film, I just don’t get it.

                                                                      Planet of the Apes (2001) 

       The 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes is often regarded as one of the worst remakes of the decade but in all honesty, I like it. It’s no masterpiece or anything, but it does make for a fun, action packed, visually dazzling, Sci-Fi blockbuster. There are some stupid things that way it down, like that stupid ending, the boring lead character and the fact that humans actually have intelligence but there still treated like unintelligent beings. However, there’s still plenty of things to like in this film. Some of the ape characters were good, the makeup is very impressive, the opening was outstanding, a lot of set pieces were really cool to look at, the battle at the end was very exciting, and there are plenty of fun B movie charms that make it worthwhile. 

                                                         Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

                                                          

    My favorite of the series by far, it sets up the story very well, there’s genuine emotion and fear that comes from the characters, the action is great and of all the films, this one made me care the most. My full review for "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is now up, check it out.

The End

                                                                              

  

My Top 10 favorite BOOM BOOM scenes in action Movies

    When it comes to action-set-pieces, I've covered my favorite car chases, and sword fights, so now it's time for the next big one ... the set-pieces with a lot of BOOM BOOM action. Fire-powered weapons are arguably the most clichéd ever, and are often what we want to see in action movies, like Die Hard, Rambo, Aliens and the Terminator movies. It can last for a few minutes, or it can be the whole movie ... bottom line, there’s nothing like seeing large chunks of rubble collapsing, ammunition fired, and explosions all over. So, here are my own personal top 10 favorite fire-powered action scenes. 

10. Fired-Up action from the movie “Commando” (1985)

Arnold Schwarzenegger is fully armed and feeling vengeful, which is an awesome and deadly combination. Arnold blows the hell out of an enemy base, while looking for his kidnapped daughter, and he throws down with some bad guys in the process. It’s hilarious how no one can shoot him, even though he’s out in the open, but all that stupidity just adds to the appeal of this awesome sequence.

 9. Fired-Up action from the movie “Death Wish 3” (1985)
 

While I’m not that big of a Death Wish fan, I will admit that the third film in the series had a very memorable action climax. It’s probably one of the most purely entertaining sequences with no tension or realism, it’s just for fun. Charles Bronson just wipes the floor with everyone. Things escalate into a full-blown war, as the neighbors all join in, and it becomes this big free for all of people brawling left and right. It’s almost like one big video game, as there’s people on ruff top’s, windows, people shooting from trees, and they all just keep coming out of no wear ... it’s great! Everything ends with the lead bad guy getting taken out at close range with a rocket launcher ... you don’t get any more awesome than that!   
           

8. Fired-Up action from the movie “Predator” (1987)

Schwarzenegger and a team of heavily armed troops take down a rebel camp in an effort to rescue some hostages. There’s one thing we’ve already learned from "Commando" that's once again made perfectly clear in this scene ... you don’t screw with Arnold Schwarzenegger! He and his team are unstoppable! They just keep walking through everyone like it’s nothing, and we get an on slot of corny yet, terrific one liners to go along with everything ... it's good stuff!  
   

 7. Fired-Up action from the movie “Robocop” (1987)

You really can’t pick-out one individual moment, because this entire movie is one amazing, and brutal, fired-up spectacle. It starts with a local cop named Alex Murphy getting killed in what has to be one of the worst shootings ever depicted on film. Then he comes back as Robocop, and that’s when things get really awesome! He breaks into a factory full of drug lords, and puts them in their place. He’s like a walking tank that can’t be stopped, and it's awesome!

6. Fired-Up action from the movie “The Expendables 2” (2012) 

It was just a real treat to get an action movie from this decade that was literally one big tribute to 80’s action movies, and it delivers all the way. We got a top-notch cast of legendary action stars, lots of energy, even more explosions, and it’s fueled with 100%, testosterone driven, fire-power!  
 

5. Fired-Up action from the movie “Extreme Prejudice” (1987)

 

This starts as a simple duel between two men, but then just like in Death wish 3, the entire town is at war. There’s nowhere to hide, fire coming from every direction, and Nick Nolte (who plays the lead character named Jack Benteen) is just so perfectly calm and collected, even though his wife is being dragged through all this mayhem. There’s people driving by on jeeps, big machine guns going off, and in the end, it's what you all an action set-piece. 

4. Fired-Up action from the movie "Scarface" (1983)

“Say hello to my little friend!” ... The climax to this gangster classic is often regarded as one of the most ground breaking action sequences ever, and while it’s not my absolute favorite, it still is one heck of a finale. Mob boss Tony Montana knows he’s about to die, and he’s pissed off. So what better way to go down then by unleashing all his anger on an oncoming team of armed criminals. He’s constantly getting hit by bullets, but he just keeps coming with everything he’s got, giving them a private war they'll never forget. 

3. Fired-Up action from the movie "Hard-Boiled" (1992) 

This foreign action flick directed by John Woo is one of the most mind-blowing action spectacles of its time, and still very impressive today. When a cop who teams up with a rebel police officer, both are determined to bring down a sinister mobster, and his crew. Everything culminates in a relentless, explosive and breathless action sequence. It's one big brawl in a hospital, and it leaves me exhausted by the time it wraps up. There’s some very impressive camera work and editing, including this one really long take with our hero’s running down a hallway ... needless to say, there's a lot of craft on display in this finale.   

2. Fired-Up action from the movie “Desperado” (1995)

This is simply one of my favorite, soled action flicks ever. The writing, editing, and directing of Robert Rodriguez is just perfect, as the action scenes are put together beautifully, and you can really feel his style of filming at work. We get the commanding screen presence of Antonio Banderas and the amazingly beautiful Salma Hayek, as they get themselves stuck in one awesome, explosive, action scene after the next. It’s entertaining as hell, its ridicules, not meant to be taken seriously, and that’s why it’s awesome.

Before I reveal my #1 favorite, here are my honorable mentions. The Fired-Up action from ...

“The Wild Bunch”

“Big Jake”

“Bonnie and Clyde”

“Heat”

“Rambo” (2007)

     
1. Fired-Up action from the movie "The Matrix" (1999) 

    
All I could say after seeing this for the first time was ... "Wholly Cow, what a sequence! Our two lead hero’s named Neo and Trinity walk into a lobby, and are fully armed with all kinds of sharp toys. Then a swat team unleashes a hail storm of fire-power on them. Neo and Trinity bounce back with even more kick, as there’s ruble flying everywhere, cool slow-motion shots, and it’s all boasted by an electrifying musicale score. It's an awesome sequence all around, all these years later, it's my favorite fire-powered action scene!   

Thanks for reading my countdown, and continue to enjoy the movies you love.