THE RANKING
Planet Of The Apes films
Four Empire writers. Nine movies. Ordered definitively.
Illustration: Jacey
Chris: I think we all grew up with Planet Of The Apes. In a way, we all knew the ending, even if you hadn’t necessarily seen the movie.
Sam: I think this is one of those films that The Simpsons has either ruined or enhanced.
I knew the twist because I’d seen The Simpsons.
Dan: Without a doubt it is, I would argue, the greatest movie ending of all time.
Chris: It’s so influential. The ending of my favourite movie, Evil Dead II, could not be more Planet Of The Apes if it tried.
Sam: On rewatching, I was reminded of how good the first one is. It’s ahead of its time as a complex sci-fi film. It’s jarring, unnerving… The script is wonderful. If you can accept the effects, you’re engaging with the film within ten minutes.
Matt: I appreciate the pace of the first one. It’s 32 minutes in before an ape even shows up.
It’s great to see the astronauts land on the planet and roam about. There’s this real tension.
Dan: I think Charlton Heston is great. He’s so cynical, he has no faith in humanity at all.