Planet of the Apes, based on the novel by Pierre Boulle

Planet of the Apes, based on the novel by Pierre Boulle

The first film in this ever longer series could well be the best

That happens often or even most of the time, for the effort to cash in on a successful work is not at the level of the first try.

Taylor is the hero of this motion picture and he is portrayed by Charlton Heston.

This was an actor that had quite a few excellent roles, but in real life, his positions were often not admirable for the undersigned.

At the start of the film, a space ship lands on an unknown planet.

The screenplay is based on the book by Pierre Boulle, the author of another memorable book that inspired one of the best films ever:

-          The Bridge on the River Kwai

The humans on the spacecraft are all well, with the exception of the only woman member of the crew.

The latter we learn during the film that was destined to be the new Eve.

On whichever planet they would land, the men of the team and the woman would procreate...

But she is dead on arrival, on account of a hole that was punctured in her equipment.

When one of the team mates reproaches Taylor:

You do not seem sad

Well, mourning comes too late now...she has been dead for about one year...answers the hero

They talk about their ages and the time that passed on Earth during their space travel.

Given the speed, the discovery of Einstein, they say...

-          You are...what was it? Two years older...

-          But two thousand years have passed on Earth

And we are astonished to find later what happened on our planet in the meantime...

Well, I say astonishing, but is it really?

If we consider the climate change, the reckless treatment that the "thinking" species has been giving to its only home, it should not be all that unexpected.

After their ship sank, the three remaining members of the crew travel through inhospitable terrain.

They reach a group of human-like creatures that are however very primitive.

They do not speak and their IQ levels do not rise much higher than those of dogs.

If we look at the way they voted for an orangutan and keep supporting him in a place near the location of this story, we could say that these IQ levels are frequently encountered today.

Dominating the landscape we find...

-          Simians!

-          And not just that, but they hold in supreme contempt the human, idiot race

There will be some explanation in the final chapters of the movie, but I will not introduce any spoilers.

Humans are captured and treated with violence.

They are even tortured and one of the members of the spacecraft crew suffers a lobotomy that renders him in a vegetative state.

Taylor on the other hand manages some spectacular escapes and becomes something of a celebrity.

He is befriended by Zia, a professor that studies humans and later by her fiancé, Doctor Cornelius.

These are scientists with many Signature Strengths:

Curiosity, Love of Learning, Appreciation of beauty and excellence, Bravery, Hope, Gratitude, Wisdom and many more.

Alas, the Simian authorities are very determined to make Taylor another vegetable.

One of them knows a terrible secret and he makes every effort to prevent catastrophes from happening again.

They have a Religion that resembles the Christian tradition, only human aspects are replaced with Simian heroes and rules.

I will end by saying that there may be some hope, but the facts revealed towards the ending are horrendous...actually, without saying more, the value of this film rests a lot in the powerful message delivered with The End!