War for the Planet of the Apes
Blu-ray
Review by Kam Williams
The
Simian Trilogy's Climactic Chapter Comes to Home Video
War
for the Planet of the Apes is the 9th episode in the legendary film
franchise that began almost a half-century ago with Planet of the
Apes. The groundbreaking sci-fi adventure was based on the novel of
the same name by Pierre Boulle, who also wrote "The Bridge over
the River Kwai."
The
original was adapted to the screen by a couple of consummate
scriptwriters in Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone) and two-time
Oscar-winner Michael Wilson (The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence
of Arabia, It's a Wonderful Life and A Place in the Sun). So, it's no
surprise that the movie's thought-provoking social commentary would
resonate with critics and audiences alike.
Furthermore,
the apes' masks were such a hit with the Motion Picture Academy that
it awarded the movie's makeup artist, John Chambers, an honorary
Oscar that year. And it would take until the Eighties for Best Makeup
to become an official category.
War
for the Planet of the Apes is the finale in a trilogy which rebooted
the series in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and was
followed a few years later by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The
good news is that one need not recall or even have seen the earlier
installments to fully appreciate this captivating conclusion.
The
better news is that its use of next-generation CGI has been so
painstakingly crafted that you never once question whether you're
watching real apes interacting with humans. But the best news overall
is that the movie is a magnificent morality play of Shakespearean
proportions which explores a host of universal themes en route to an
epic showdown destined to settle the fate of both species once and
for all.
This
go-round, the simians are again led by Caesar (Andy Serkis) who must
match wits with a ruthless army colonel (Woody Harrelson). Between
the sophisticated storytelling and the state-of-the-art special f/x,
War for the Planet of the Apes turns out to be a touching swan song
well worth the investment.
Rated PG-13 for action, violence, mature themes and disturbing images
Running time: 140 minutes
Production Studio: Chernin Entertainment
Distributor: Distributor: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Extras: Feature with audio commentary by director Matt Reeves; 20 minutes of deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by director Matt Reeves; concept art gallery; and Apes: The Meaning of It All and 5 more featurettes.
To see a trailer for War for the Planet of the Apes, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBAoxK8tSuM
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