Every Planet Of The Apes Movie Ranked Worst To Best

Escape from the Planet of the Apes had a tough job moving forward, considering the fact that Beneath ended with the destruction of the planet, but it managed to make it work with a story that takes Cornelius (McDowell) to modern-day America, where he attempts to integrate himself and his wife Zira (Kim Hunter) into society.

Of course, this is easier said than done, especially as some humans fear their unborn son (Caesar) will cause troubles down the line, and the results form a story about peace and the timely ideals of working and living as one, despite the differences between apes and humans.

The reduced budget isn't much of a hinderance here, given the fact that there's less apes on-screen and not as much action, and the performances are top-shelf all-round, but there are some slight problems, particularly with the convoluted timeline and the occasionally cheesy, overly-expositional dialogue.

But the truth is Escape is a brilliant little film, full of heart and inventive storytelling, and though it's not quite as effective as the next four on this list, it's still a damn sight better than the film's before it.