Escape from the Planet of the Apes

r96sk

2022-02-27T02:51:30.929Z

A very good sequel. <em>'Escape from the Planet of the Apes'</em> is a clear improvement on (the good) <em>'Beneath the Planet of the Apes'</em> and isn't that far adrift from the 1968 original. The plot is out there but they make it believable, while the ending is quite something - unexpectedly so! Neat to see Roddy McDowall return to his role from <em>'Planet of the Apes'</em>, while co-star Kim Hunter continues once again. I like those two characters so enjoyed seeing them become 'the stars' of this third release of the franchise. Onwards to <em>'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes'</em>.

CinemaSerf

2023-06-08T05:00:06.262Z

Now quite how, we don't know, but suffice to say that "Cornelius" (Roddy McDowall) and "Zira" (Kim Hunter) manage to find themselves a spaceship and travel back in time to an Earth when humans - here, more specifically, a bunch of rather numb-sculled Americans - rule their continent. On stepping out of their craft, they must sigh the sigh of all aliens whose first glimpse of man is a man with loads of braid and no brains. They are taken to a zoo, fed oranges (?) and then subjected to a presidential inquiry that brings them some fame and celebrity, but also keeps them firmly on the radar of the malevolent "Dr. Hasslein" (Eric Braeden) who becomes doubly suspicious of their portentous storytelling (remember, apes cannot talk in 1971!) when it emerges that "Zira" is expecting an apelet! Things become distinctly perilous for our visitors, but luckily they have allies in fellow scientists "Dixon" (Bradford Dillman) and "Branton" (Natalie Trundy) so maybe they can escape their guilded cage? This is much better than last year's effort. The story is stronger, the morals are there but not over-used and the two lead actors gel well. The visual effects are effective and though I did not particularly like the ending, it offers us some food for thought.