Battle for the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Battle for the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray Movie Review

'Battle' concludes the 'Apes' series with distinction.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 5, 2008

This review contains spoilers for Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.

We are at best brave, at worst mad, to be here.

The fifth and final chapter of Apes saga, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, concludes the series well and within the traditions of the previous outings. Like its predecessors, Battle stays true to the winning formula of part action and part social commentary. The film moves ahead to a future not too distant from that depicted in Conquest but remains steady in its look, feel, and tone, retaining the core talent that made that last film such a fine success, notably the return of actor Roddy McDowell, director J. Lee Thompson, and producers Frank Capra, Jr. and Author P. Jacobs. Despite a lower budget, recycled props and sets, and a host of new-to-the-series talent in front of and behind the camera, Battle for the Planet of the Apes succeeds as a mostly logical, well-written, fast-paced, and expertly crafted picture that often feels bigger and better than its production limitations would suggest, thanks in large part to its faithfulness to the look, feel, and themes of the previous films in the series.

The cast is stunned to learn that there will not be another 'Apes' film for 28 years.

Early in the 21st century, in the years following the great war between man and ape, the two species live in a relatively stable state of co-existence, though it is clear simian law and culture trumps that of mankind. Nevertheless, there is a brewing divide amongst the simians; the hawkish gorillas hope to one day eliminate man altogether while the more peaceful and levelheaded orangoutangs and chimpanzees, including the de-facto simian leader, Caesar (Roddy McDowall, reprising his role from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes), prefer to live peacefully with their old enemy. When Caesar's most trusted human advisor, MacDonald (Austin Stoker), informs him that he may be able to glean knowledge from his deceased parents via a collection of audio and video recordings that may still be preserved at a highly secure and impenetrable underground city archive, Caesar and MacDonald, along with know-it-all orangoutang Professor Virgil (Paul Williams), journey to the bombed out, radioactive Forbidden City in search of a glimpse into the past and, hopefully, answers for a better future. The trio encounters a band of radioactively poisoned, underground-dwelling humans who see the incursion into their once-great city as a threat to their very survival, and these humans mount a preemptive strike against Ape city, the coming battle perhaps the final chapter in the long inter-species conflict.

Whereas the first two films in the Apes saga place viewers in the middle of a story, in a skewered, incredible timeline that leaves more questions looming than answered, the final three films form an origins trilogy that showcase just how and why Earth came to be as it is depicted in Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes. In essence, the series is a film short of replicating, or in this case better said preceding, the Star Wars saga in first taking viewers to a strange, new universe, and only later explaining the origins of the characters, stories, and settings. Battle for the Planet of the Apes makes for a fine end cap to the saga, bringing the story full circle and hearkening back to much of what was seen, gleaned, and left unanswered in the previous films. The film differs from its predecessors in one crucial area. Rather than instilling in its audiences a sense of gloom and despair in light of both the events as depicted in the film and the social crises they relate to in what was then contemporary America, Battle for the Planet of the Apes leaves viewers with a message of hope. Even amidst the heavy violence of the film, at least on par, if not more pronounced than that featured in the previous film, Battle for the Planet of the Apes ends the series looking ahead to the promise of a better tomorrow, rather than dwelling on either the sadness and chaos of the film or the then-present society the Apes films so brilliantly satirize.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Battle for the Planet of the Apes features a pleasing 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. The transfer is moderately to highly detailed, the film's many bright exterior shots, scenes, and sequences generally offering the best imagery of the film. The various shots of the humans marching on Ape city to wage war, for example, look highly impressive; the sandy terrain in particular offering nice texture and detail. Likewise, the various rock faces and trees that adorn Ape city look fabulous in many shots. Colors are strong and well proportioned, never too faded or overly exaggerated. Grain is retained over the entirety of the image. Some scenes exhibit a fair amount of softness while others are sharp as a tack. Blacks hold up rather well, particularly in the underground sequences in the Forbidden City. Flesh tones are never problematic. All in all, Battle for the Planet of the Apes is on par with the other films in the series, sometimes looking a little better, sometimes looking a little worse, but on the whole, the presentation is more than acceptable.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Battle for the Planet of the Apes offers listeners a high quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that features more of a hefty presence and fulfilling listen than any of the Apes films before it. Also included is the original monaural soundtrack. There are a few sequences where there is a noticeable drop off in sound quality, particularly when professor Abe, General Aldo, and Caesar discuss the professor's use of the word "no" in chapter 5. Also, a scene in chapter 10 featuring a discussion about a potential missile launch features audio that clearly sounds as if it were thrown together from multiple sources in post-production, with a discernible hiss accompanying only select lines of dialogue. Still, some of the shootouts featured in the film, particularly that in chapter 10, are more robust and commanding than any previously heard in the series, and playing alongside the percussion-heavy score, listeners will appreciate the improved fidelity and power of this mix, which is more satisfying than expected. Like the previous Apes films, there is not much of a rear channel presence, but the track nevertheless offers several effects that find their way into the back during the battle scenes, particularly the film's climactic confrontation. This soundtrack also feature no problems with dialogue reproduction. A fine lossless soundtrack in the context of its original mix, Battle for the Planet of the Apes sounds fine on Blu-ray.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Battle for the Planet of the Apes comes with a slightly skimpier supplemental package than its Apes sequel predecessors. As expected, things start off with an isolated score presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1. Selecting this feature removes all dialogue and sound effects from the film, leaving viewers with only the score playing over the imagery. End of an Epic: The Final Battle (1080p, 16:34) features the same participants from the documentaries on the previous discs discussing the writing of the story, its themes, characters, and mood. Also discussed is the film's budget and production values, director J. Lee Thompson's contributions to the film, producer Arthur P. Jacobs's influence on the Apes series, and the sense of hope the final film engendered in audiences. Concluding this brief supplemental package is the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:33) and a series of four galleries -- 'San Simian Sentinel', Interactive Pressbook, Advertising, and Behind-the-Scenes. This disc is also D-Box enabled.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's almost a shame to see the series come to an end, but the old adage that offers the advice that there can be too much of any good thing probably holds true here. While the series witnessed several peaks and valleys, there are certainly more peaks and plateaus than there are valleys, and Battle for the Planet of the Apes certainly concludes the series on an upward slope. With a strong story that ties the previous films together and leaves viewers with a more uplifting and hopeful ending than those concluding the previous films, Battle proudly stands tall as a fine entry in and a fitting conclusion to the series. Once again, 20th Century Fox's release of an Apes film to Blu-ray results in a quality presentation. Featuring respectable video and audio transfers and a skimpy yet tidy set of extras, there is no reason not to own this disc to compliment the remainder of the Apes films, either collected separately or as part of the massive box set. Recommended.