Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

So much average

Great Film overall

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

A sequel to the 1968 masterwork was wholly unnecessary--much less four of them. On the bright side, the sequels eventually became the basis for perhaps the most intelligent blockbuster franchise of the 2010s (and likely beyond). Upon reviewing it with a more critical perspective, the decline in quality here is far more apparent. It does however find redeeming qualities in its allegories surrounding the Vietnam War, even if a little less subtle than its already blunt predecessor. But at least it was short!Beneath the Planet of the Apes was directed by Ted Post, and is rather unabashedly a studio movie (made by studio executives for profit as opposed to being made by genuinely inspired filmmakers). The film begins by recycling the last few minutes of the first installment, which partially justifies itself through an extended sequence intended to establish continuity, but for the most part is just lazy. This film doesn't have the directorial flair of the first. There is little to no buildup for the reveal or journey to Ape City, and we are thrust into the world again without much craft or care. The cinematography is often shaky or awkward, and the action sequences feel uninspired and obligatory. Even the shots of Ape city don't show the scope that the original achieved, I suspect because they didn't rebuild the whole set for budgetary reasons. That being said, the sets in much of the rest of the film are very strong: especially the gorilla training grounds and the subterranean environments--in which the cinematography becomes better, if still not great. Thankfully, it won't beat you over the head excessively with its pitfalls thanks to its quick pacing.The screenplay for this film saw the departure of Rod Serling and Michael Wilson, now written by producer Mort Abrahams and receiving treatment by Paul Dehn (who would fill the writer's role for the remainder of the original series). It's never a good sign when producers or studio executives start to write your films, but Dehn did a serviceable job considering. While the screenplay has substantial flaws, it also contains the most redeeming qualities of the film. The most noticeable disparities in screenplay quality were the story and characters. For example, here's a short quote that sums up the role of James Franciscus' Brent: "We loved Taylor." Charlton Heston made it clear he didn't want to return, and though he has cameos that bookend the film, Brent was basically a "discount Taylor". Franciscus however plays a more sympathizable character, which is relayed to us by showing him nursing the other astronaut after the crash. Though less interesting and layered than Taylor (who was a study on existentialism and ego), Brent is more likable (albeit generic), and hence easier to follow.There's a very notable and very questionable plot decision as well. The mutants could easily have had just made an illusion that covered up the entrance to their hiding place, and the apes would've never found them. Instead, they're daft enough to intentionally create a provocative image, which not only angers the apes, but confirms and gives away their existence. Hence endangering them. Hence destroying the world. I do however like the guts the movie has at the end. It's ambitions didn't always pan out, but at least it didn't shy away from tragedy, which is a tradition that has stuck (thankfully) for much the rest of the franchise.There's a nice portrayal of hypocrisy in the film, which becomes a theme in the Vietnam War allegory. An instance of this is Zaius telling Cornelius "Let us have no violence", as he prepares to march out with an army equipped to fight the unknown. As dumb as the mutants are, they serve a role in an excellent satire of religion and violence--specifically pertaining to the Vietnam War. There is a noticeable emulation of Vietnam War protest rallies as the troops are marching out, as those in power ignore the civilians' outcry of a pointless war. It is clear that the apes do not really know who the enemy is, and though they won't admit it to themselves, what they are even out there for. The mutants manipulate and use their "weapons of peace" at a distance while others get hurt, yet are spared much of the blame, just like the American government. A quote from Cornelius sums up the theme of powerlessness: "How can we take initiative when they (the Ape Council) hold(s) all the power?" There is also a juxtaposition between the worship of the Apes' Lawgiver and the mutants' Alpha- Omega Bomb, expressing thoughts of religious intolerance and more.The performances in this installment aren't at their strongest. Linda Harrison is shaky, and the part where she speaks at the end is dumb and breaks basic continuity. Roddy's replacement as Cornelius (now played by David Watson) is noticeably different, and easily the lesser portrayal. There is a degree of quirkiness and charm missing from Watson's version. James Franciscus is inoffensive in his role, and Heston is still playing Heston. Kim Hunter and Maurice Evans are easily the highlights of the film, and maintain their characters' depth.Notice the pullover masks they used in the film due to budgetary restraints, and how obnoxiously noticeable and laughably bad they were. The mutant makeup is OK, though not as impressive as Chamber's ape prosthetics. Finally, the score by Leonard Rosenman emulates Goldsmith's rather well, and manages to be competent and serviceable to the film even if it lacks a degree of Goldsmith's charm and memorability. Though this is one of the weakest points in the franchise, this feature is not completely irredeemable, and thankfully still isn't the franchise at its worst. The social commentary maintains a base level of intelligence that makes it worth viewing for fans of the series. Unlike its predecessor however, this is not essential viewing.Score: 6.5/10

Picking up where our last movie left off we see a dejected loin clothed couple on horseback riding along the shoreline wondering where they go from here. Here I thought our second story in the Ape series of Movies from Twentieth Century Fox would have it's Star, Charlton Heston featured in the second film. Wrong as we see a demolished spacecraft in the middle of the forbidden Zone desert as Muscular Astronaut Brent (James Francicscus) emerges from the rubble uninjured . His partner we couldn't say the same for as he sustained very serious injuries to his body plus his loss of eye sight. Brent seems hopeful and grateful that the air is fit to breathe as he tries to get his bearing as to where he is in the Galaxy? Unfortunately his only crew member dies as he buries the last remains he hears a horse cry in the background and it's Nova (Linda Harrison) on horseback off in the distance. Brent approaches the mutant woman and asks questions about where he is and Brent also notices dog tags around Nova's neck as he read the inscription Taylor. Brent is part of a rescue mission to find Taylor and his crew from a previous flight. Brent goes on to ask if Taylor is alive But Nova just looks at a loss.No verbal response from baffled Nova. So Brent jumps on the Horse and tells Nova take me to Taylor. Next scene Nova points to stone styles building as they approach civilization. As Brent and Nova sneak up closer Brent watches in horror an Ape General Ursus (James Gregory)boasting about invading the Forbidden zone. Boasting about Ape doctrine that, "The only good Human is a Dead Human." Luckily the two humans dodge a pistol happy gorilla as Brent get struck by a bullet and they end up at Corneilus and Zira's residence for first aid ,food and the whereabouts of their friend Taylor. The Chimps comply with Brent giving him clothing suitable for humans as they try to leave the Ape city which is doomed in failure as they are quickly captured and marked for Target Practice. Zira unlocked the cage so the two can escape a second time. Brent and the gorilla driver tussle for a time but a tree branch settles the scores as the ape is knocked to the ground. Other Ape scouts spot the two in the far off distance and a chase ensues to a mountain range. Brent and Nova climb the mountain and enter a subterranean passage to Brent's horrific discovery that inside was once the New York City Subway system as he sees the tiled walls and Posters of a by gone era obliterated by Nuclear war wondering what had happen that all that talk about possible peace was just talk. Meanwhile Ape scouts are combing the perimeter in search of the two humans as Brent realizes he has to move further inside the tunnel and follow the Subway tracks. Doesn't take long before he hears some sort of pumping system a vibration noise and stumbles across a tiled tunnel. The two humans enter what looks like an underground Fifth Avenue. The library with the two stoned lions perch in front . A beat up old Bus and Saint Patrick's Cathedral in which Brent enters and see a human type person praying to a nuclear warhead. Brent starts a conversation and realizes that the Human is not opening his mouth yet he hears what he's saying. Two guards grab Brent as Nova is separated away. Brent is put in front of what appears to be a board of Leaders of this underground world. They ask him questions and administer pain to him telepathically. Brent is uncooperative and is afflicted pain till he tells the leaders what they want to hear. Brent insist that he take no sides with anyone. Meanwhile the apes prepare for war as they head out to the forbidden zone for domination of the territory not knowing what they are facing or fighting for. Kim Hunter and Maurise Evans Reprise their roles as Doctor's Zira and Zaius. Actor David Watson filled in admirably as Cornelius for originally cast Roddy McDowall. Very quick paced film as the two cultures meet eventually in a final confrontation for the planets dominance or total destruction. As far as sequels go, this one is necessary if you watched the first ape Movie as the story continues into this film so smoothly.

Beneath The Planet of the Apes (1970) belongs in that list of sequels that could have been as good or even better than the original film. The first sequel to Planet of the Apes (1968) has two strikes against it. The film had only half the budget of the original film and Charlton Heston has a supporting part, while the screenplay was clearly written with his character as the lead. In those days a star did not do sequels, but apparently he was grateful for the success of Planet of the Apes that he did a cameo and donated his salary to charity. Heston became a science fiction icon and would go on in the seventies starring in the SF classics The Omega Man (1971) and Soylent Green (1973).The writers Paul Dehn and Mort Abrahams and director Ted Post took Beneath The Planet of the Apes serious enough and did excellent work despite these limitations. A couple of years later Ted Post would direct another sequel: Magnum Force (1973). The first Dirty Harry sequel which could also be rated as a sequel almost as good as the original.The first 30 minutes of Beneath The Planet of the Apes is a quick rerun of the plot of the original film, but when the lead characters get underground (hence the title), we get a first rate science fiction parable. The underground ruins of New York city are inhabited by mutated humans with psychic powers and worship an atom bomb as a God. This story line does make the ape race secondary characters in the second half.The ending is very nihilistic and seems like a very definitive ending to the series. But because of success at the box office and the ingenuity of the writers, we got three more sequels/prequels. All of them are very enjoyable, but nowhere near as powerful as this first underrated sequel.

The typical sequel formula goes as follows: more of the exact same, only not as good. Unfortunately Beneath the Planet of the Apes falls to that trap as well, trying to tell the exact same story as the first one, but with the added problem that it has to take into account the events of that first film as well. Thus it comes across as pale imitation instead of something new or innovative.What makes this doubly baffling is the fact that they had a very good hook for a sequel at the end of the first film. Taylor (Charles Heston) had escaped from the apes, had found the truth about the planet he had crashed on and was all set to find a new place to live with Nova (Linda Harrison). And we do get some of that storyline, for about five minutes, after which everything seems to reset as a new astronaut (James Franciscus) crashes on to the planet, taking the place of Taylor, who promptly disappears for much of the runtime. Apparently Heston was reluctant to reprise his role, which limited his role to that of an extended cameo, which kind of explain the decision to go with the new astronaut, but it's still annoying that they have to go through the exact same scenes we already saw in the first film.The film manages to cover a lot of new ground in the second half of the film, but unfortunately that new ground just doesn't seem to fit in with the existing setting at all. It's like if you took two completely different scifi films and smashed them together to create something utterly new and bizarre. It's creative, sure, but there's little to no logic behind it, and what's even worse, the allegories kept getting more forced and farcical. And they weren't exactly subtle in the first film either, but at least they were poignant.And yet, I can honestly say that I liked the film. It is very much its own creation, unlike anything I have ever seen before, and while it lacks the depth of the original, it is very followable and entertaining. Not a good film by any objective standard, but a decent film to check out if you like older scifi films and want to see more of the original Apes universe.