The Star Wars universe is one of the most successful and impressive sci-fi franchises in cinema. Its sprawling world is nothing to laugh at, but when it comes to conveying story, it can’t hold a candle to a franchise like Planet of the Apes.
The original Planet of the Apes films were a triumph in the medium, but the rebooted prequel trilogy, which began in 2009, elevated the series even further. As a trilogy that told the origins of the titular Planet of the Apes, even Star Wars can’t do what these films succeeded in.
The Planet of the Apes Prequels Stuck the Landing Better Than Star Wars
The Star Wars prequels were a return to form in 1999, as there hadn’t been a film since 1983, and this marked a new era long before Darth Vader and when Obi-Wan Kenobi was young. With George Lucas back at the helm, the prequels had everything going for them, and yet the release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was met with harsh criticisms that followed the prequel trilogy until its conclusion.
While the films had their high points, it was Star Wars: The Clone Wars that began the long rebuild process that enhanced what the films introduced. What came of it was a great finished product, but that’s not how things started. Comparatively, Rise of the Planet of the Apes began a trilogy that knew what it was going for and delivered a deeply emotional story.
The Planet of the Apes started as a novel by Pierre Boulle and quickly grew into a highly successful film franchise. By the fourth film, the narrative had managed to set up the origin for how Caesar came to power and revolted against his human oppressors. This story, however, was much different from what was introduced in 2009.
Set in a modern timeline, Rise of the Planet of the Apes showed Caesar as a smart chimp tired of being treated as just an animal and rising up. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes saw attempts at humans and apes coexisting as a virus born of the medication that made Caesar smart began to kill humans on a massive scale. Finally, War for the Planet of the Apes was about Caesar realizing coexistence was no longer an option and instead wanted he and his kind to find a safe space to live.
With a trilogy like that, it was incredibly simple to sell the story, as the only real goal was to end up on a planet where apes ruled. It’s much easier than setting up loose ends that were introduced in 1977, like Star Wars had to, and it aided in creating a much stronger trilogy.
Caesar’s Arc Is Incredibly Emotional in Planet of the Apes
The Star Wars prequels exist solely to set Anakin’s story up as both the prophesied Chosen One and also the one who would turn to the Dark Side and become Darth Vader. What should be a story of hope is a story of tragedy, and while the moment itself is handled very well, the lead-up isn’t as strong.
From The Phantom Menace to Attack of the Clones, Anakin grows up in a time jump, and he’s shown more as a frustrated teenager than the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan spoke highly of. The original films made it sound like Anakin turned at a much older age, so there’s a lot of confusion in what was teased vs. what was given. While Anakin’s story was amazing, it could be argued there was room for improvement.
Meanwhile, the Planet of the Apes prequels spend a lot of time with Caesar as viewers see him from his birth to his death and how hard he fought, stealing moments of happiness where he could. Audiences see him raise a family and suffer terrible losses just as a human would, and it shows that his experiences are no less human than anyone else’s.
Yet what makes Caesar so impressive as a character and his arc so impactful is how hard he fights to ensure his kind thrives and to show humans the respect they won’t give the apes. He was raised by kind humans, and any retaliation he has is only towards bad people or even apes like Koba. He’s a strong and heroic character with modern cinema’s most iconic arc.
The Planet of the Apes Prequels Created a World Easier to Follow Than Star Wars
The Star Wars universe’s most exciting pull is how big the world is and how there’s something for every type of sci-fi fan. But this great strength is also a great weakness for people looking for an easy story to get into. As a prequel trilogy, for example, the story is fun, but all the substance is trapped behind the history of another trilogy and lore that may not be easy to follow for those not used to the classic tropes. It’s fine on its own but works best with its larger world.
The Planet of the Apes prequel trilogy doesn’t follow this same issue and, if anything, makes everything that came before more enhanced. For example, in the original franchise, Caesar was the child of apes from the future sent to the past. Yet, small Easter eggs tease that the prequel trilogy could be the true origin that leads to planet of the apes, and the original Caesar revolution is just the product of an alternate future.
Though it sounds complex, and somewhat is, it’s not necessary to enjoy the prequel trilogy, and that’s why it surpasses Star Wars on that front. It’s a simple sci-fi story that has amazing characters and arcs and tells a cohesive tale with genuine emotion. It’s hard to find another sci-fi trilogy that does what Planet of the Apes does, and that’s by design. Caesar is one of the greatest characters of modern cinema and is tied to a trilogy so great, everyone has to experience it.
- First Film
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Planet of the Apes (1968)
- Created by
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Pierre Boulle