Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
The sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission lands on the planet of the apes, and uncovers a horrible secret beneath the surface.
A largely derivative sequel that retreads much of the original's premise with a new astronaut protagonist, though it earns modest credit for its bizarre mutant-worshipping-bomb underground cult, which gives it a strange B-movie energy. The plot is thin and repetitive until the third act, acting is serviceable but lacks Charlton Heston's presence for most of the runtime, and cinematography is competent but unremarkable. The ending—where the Earth is literally destroyed—is genuinely audacious and nihilistic, standing out as a bold creative choice that elevates an otherwise formulaic sequel.