Battle for the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray offers solid video and audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
In the year 2670, an orangutan called the Lawgiver tells a story to a group of human and ape
children about an early 21st century ape leader named Caesar.
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 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 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 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.
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.
Blu-ray bundles with Battle for the Planet of the Apes (4 bundles)
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