The 1968 original of Planet of the Apes remains a timeless cinematic achievement. Starring Charlton Heston, its narrative delivered a groundbreaking twist and showcased unparalleled mask and costume design that has remained a benchmark for five decades. The 2001 reboot attempt by Tim Burton was critically unsuccessful, particularly regarding the ape character portrayals. Consequently, the announcement of a second revival attempt by Fox a decade later, in 2011, was met with some apprehension. However, Rupert Wyatt’s rendition successfully captured the essence of a contemporary blockbuster, presenting a compelling reinterpretation for a 2010s audience, while streamlining the pacing of the original ’68 film.
This iteration centers on the origins of Caesar (Andy Serkis), an intelligent ape, and his progression to leading the apes’ rebellion against humanity. Unlike the 1968 film, which depicted astronauts landing on a future Earth, this story chronicles the research of scientist Will Rodman (James Franco), who seeks a cure for his father (John Lithgow)’s Alzheimer’s disease. Rodman’s experimental treatments on apes yield increased intelligence and heightened aggression. After Caesar becomes orphaned, Will takes him home, unaware that this act will initiate a chain of events profoundly altering the planet and the future of humankind.
Picture and sound
The UHD edition of Rise of The Planet of The Apes (a title preferred over the localized Swedish translation, Apornas Planet (r)Evolution) includes both the Ultra HD version in 4K and a Blu-ray edition in Full HD. The UHD picture exhibits improved sharpness compared to the Blu-ray, although the difference is not drastic. Our reference Panasonic DX900 TV accentuated the color tones in 4K, revealing more detail in textures like faces and animal fur. When combined with HDR, the contrast and color vibrancy are enhanced—the white lab coats exhibit a brighter white, though some minor color bleed is observable. Overall, the master’s limitations stem from the age of the source material and the film’s reliance on visual effects (which are exceptionally executed, with Andy Serkis delivering a stellar performance as Caesar). Primarily filmed in 35mm, some scenes exhibit slight noise. However, the principal constraint in the UHD scanning lies in the fact that the digital effects were frequently rendered in 2K, as the processing demands of 4K rendering were prohibitively time-consuming at the time.
The UHD soundtrack mirrors the Blu-ray’s, featuring a DTS-Master HD 5.1 track. While the audio quality is satisfactory, a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X mix, with increased channel count and higher resolution, would have provided a more immersive experience. The dialogue remains crisp and clear on the front channels, and panning effects are well-executed. Although the bass response isn’t exceptionally deep, it provides adequate impact during the Golden Gate Bridge battle sequence towards the film’s climax.
The supplemental content is identical to the Blu-ray version, and we appreciated the commentary track featuring director Wyatt and the insights into WETA’s creation of the digital apes.
Summary
Coinciding with the theatrical release of War of The Planet of the Apes, the concluding chapter of the new Planet of the Apes trilogy, we welcome the opportunity to upgrade our existing Blu-ray of Rise of the Planet of the Apes to the UHD format. This film stands as a modern classic, arguably one of the standout releases of the summer of 2011. The 4K presentation offers a discernible visual improvement, though it doesn’t achieve reference-level quality, while the audio and supplementary features are consistent with the Blu-ray edition. Current owners of the Blu-ray may find the upgrade to UHD non-essential. However, for those considering purchasing the film, the UHD edition is the preferred choice, offering enhanced visual fidelity and including the Blu-ray version as well.
