25 Best Reviewed Franchise Films Of The 21st Century (According To Metacritic)

Saving its best and bleakest until last, the trilogy capper to Planet of the Apes' reboot era - for now - not only reached the high bar set by its predecessor but arguably cleared it with space to spare, delivering a climactic chapter to its modern-day reigmagination that left critics wowed.

Back in charge after his work on Dawn, Matt Reeves proved himself no longer a blockbuster auteur in the making but very much the real deal with his efforts behind the camera - and in a career of great mo-cap performances, Andy Serkis' work here perhaps remains his best to date.