I enjoy Planet of the Ape films - the idea of our supposed primitive ancestors - but for the missing link - doing battle with Homo sapiens, is indeed imaginative.
I like the array of Apes, from an orang-utan - who looks a bit like the Orange Dear Leader - through to some splendid silver back, ginger and 'winter' gorillas with pointed heads and looking as lovable as London Zoo's Guy the Gorilla.
Amazing to see them on horseback brandishing weapons.
I don't like the semi-chimp-semi-Dobby character - spoilt the film to bring in such a joke figure - but overall, the costuming is superb.
It's nice to see it isn't just one action scene after another, as is so typical these days, but a gentle slow development of plot and characters.
A hint of racism as the Homo sapiens bring the Apes into slavery and force them into hard labour, cutting rocks and a chain gang. Caesar leads the revolt against it, and confronts the baddie Colonel, a complete psychopath who thinks nothing of killing his own men and family members, and suddenly we get a blast of Jimi Hendrix soundtrack!
This is all very smashing, but the comparison with Black struggles is unmistakable.
For this, and because it is a little over-long, I can only manage seven stars.
One of the better films this year so far.
I like the array of Apes, from an orang-utan - who looks a bit like the Orange Dear Leader - through to some splendid silver back, ginger and 'winter' gorillas with pointed heads and looking as lovable as London Zoo's Guy the Gorilla.
Amazing to see them on horseback brandishing weapons.
I don't like the semi-chimp-semi-Dobby character - spoilt the film to bring in such a joke figure - but overall, the costuming is superb.
It's nice to see it isn't just one action scene after another, as is so typical these days, but a gentle slow development of plot and characters.
A hint of racism as the Homo sapiens bring the Apes into slavery and force them into hard labour, cutting rocks and a chain gang. Caesar leads the revolt against it, and confronts the baddie Colonel, a complete psychopath who thinks nothing of killing his own men and family members, and suddenly we get a blast of Jimi Hendrix soundtrack!
This is all very smashing, but the comparison with Black struggles is unmistakable.
For this, and because it is a little over-long, I can only manage seven stars.
One of the better films this year so far.