10 Best Sci-Fi Movies Of 2017

It's a little surprising to think that, against the odds, the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise - a series that practically nobody, back in the day, ever felt to be necessary - has since resulted in one of cinema's best sci-fi trilogies.

Both Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes were relentlessly smart and entertaining sci-fi flicks, but it's War for the Planet of the Apes, the third and final film in this new trilogy, that takes the cake.

The plot is simple but effective: Caesar, the shotgun-toting lead, sets out on a quest for vengeance against a deranged Colonel. Part western revenge flick, part Apocalypse Now, War for the Planet of the Apes is an immaculately produced sci-fi thriller with genuine heart and soul. The special effects and motion-capture performances are so believable it's impossible to tell what's real and what isn't.

What really makes this movie great, though, aside from the brilliant action sequences, the excellent musical score, and the frequent nods to cinema history, are its characters. They're apes, yes, but they're apes we care about, and though it will always be hard for Andy Serkis to escape the shadow of Gollum, it is Caesar, perhaps, who stands as his most impressive achievement to date.