--- title: "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 13 reviews: 9 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics come down in favour, and the warmest reviews are the most recent ones. Several call this the angriest and boldest film in the series, a slavery-and-fascism allegory that builds resentment towards a riot-scale uprising. Praise clusters on J. Lee Thompson’s direction, credited with hiding a small budget behind claustrophobic sets, expressive lighting and clashes staged to look like real riots, and on Roddy McDowall’s Caesar, whose speech several reviews single out. Where the director’s cut and its harsher original ending are mentioned, they are preferred. The reservations are about money and repetition. Empire finds the film going through the motions, ticking off series lore; RogerEbert.com is the lone negative, calling the production cheesy, the action repetitive and the story seemingly improvised. Film Stories notes the budget straining in the finale and Ricardo Montalban sitting oddly against the serious tone. The spread is wide, from the low thirties to ninety, with the 1970s notices settled in the middle. ## The AV Club — Noel Murray Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 11 July 2017. The critic calls it the boldest film in the series, crediting J. Lee Thompson with pure cinematic artistry through minimal dialogue and effective use of locations to depict a dystopian world of ape servitude. They single out the large-scale violent clashes resembling real-world riots and the despairing original ending. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-original-planet-of-the-apes-series-became-more-dari-1798264073) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Richard Newby Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2024. The critic praises the film as pure rage and revolution, highlighting its anger and impact on the modern franchise despite its place in a commercial series. They single out the violent revolution, Caesar’s impassioned speech, and the director’s cut’s uncompromising conclusion. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/planet-of-the-apes-movies-ranked/) ## The New York Times — Howard Thompson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 1972. The fourth entry in the series is not bad, propelled by furious direction and crisp philosophizing, with Roddy McDowall stealing the picture as the articulate ape leader leading a revolt. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1972/06/30/archives/conquest-of-planet-of-apes-opens.html) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 May 2024. The critic notes the director disguises the low budget well and praises the potent political allegory along with claustrophobic sets and expressive lighting. They single out the director’s cut for its more faithful and satisfying conclusion over the theatrical ending. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-best-planet-of-the-apes-movies-ranked.html) ## Empire — Sam Toy Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2006. The film feels like going through the motions even for fans, drawing slavery and fascism analogies while checking off series lore. It strains to stay engaging but remains true enough to the spirit of the series to get over the line. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/conquest-planet-apes-review/) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 3/5. The fourth film in the sci-fi saga illustrates how the ape revolt happened in the first place, with Caesar leading enslaved simians against humans. Gritty direction from J Lee Thompson and fun philosophising with moral lessons and role reversals make it a compelling outing. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-pucr6r/conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes/) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1971. The series takes an angry turn as apes, once pets, become servants and one leads a bloody revolt against human oppressors in a futuristic setting. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1971/film/reviews/conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-1200422818/) ## RogerEbert.com — Gerardo Valero Rating ** 1/2. 8 April 2024. The film has a clever premise but fails to deliver on screen, with cheesy production values, repetitive action, and a sense that the story was improvised. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/far-flung-correspondents/ape-shall-not-kill-ape-a-look-at-the-entire-apes-franchise) ## /Film — Ryan Scott Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 29 February 2024. The critic makes a strong case for Conquest as one of the best sci-fi sequels ever, highlighting its evolution from corny low-budget sequel to profound dark political film with much to say. It singles out the bolder, darker extended cut (on Blu-ray) for completing the time loop and delivering a brash, gutsy punch that the theatrical version lacks. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1529837/one-of-best-sci-fi-sequels-ever-conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes/) ## HeyUGuys — Cai Ross Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2017. The piece describes Conquest as a seething, angry film that returns strong social commentary on racial inequality and oppression, building resentment to a riotous uprising. It calls it a Spartacus for the 1970s, with Caesar leading apes against human tormentors in a dystopian 1991 setting. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/planet-of-the-apes-history/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating B+. 6 July 2014. The critic finds the film a powder-keg of political commentary reactivated with vengeance, portraying an inevitable ape uprising in a brutal dystopia. Director J. Lee Thompson is singled out for building the dystopia and directing the revolution with clarity and impact. [Read the review](https://collider.com/conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-review/) ## Den of Geek — Don Kaye Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2019. The critic sees the film as a powerful and riveting entry that effectively launches the apes' ascendancy in the series' circular narrative. McDowall's performance as Caesar is singled out as perhaps his finest in the franchise, bringing emotional depth to the revolutionary story despite some logical flaws and budget constraints. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-the-most-violent-and-bleak-of-the-franchise/) ## Film Stories — A J Black Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2024. The critic sees Conquest as an evocative sequel that darkens the series with dystopian fiction, placing intelligent apes in a fascistic human future akin to Nazism in style and costuming. It notes missteps including budget constraints in the finale and Ricardo Montalban feeling at odds with the serious tone, but praises its distinct visual and tonal sense plus religious allegory. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/planet-of-the-apes-revisiting-the-unique-1970s-sequels/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes.md