Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

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Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

PG

Released Jun 30, 1972

1h 26m

Sci-Fi

Action

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Popcornmeter

52%

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23 Reviews

46%

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10,000+ Ratings

In this third sequel to "Planet of the Apes," the apes turn the tables on the human Earth population when they lead a revolt against their cruel masters in the distant year of 1990. By doing this it creates the time loop that leads to the first film. "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" is cinematically etched in broad, brash strokes slashing social satire and science fiction suspense with large-scale spectacle.

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Critics Consensus

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is as angry and relevant as any of its predecessors, but budget constraints and a stale script rob this revolution of the scope it requires.

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Variety

The Planet of the Apes series takes an angry turn in the fourth entry.

Jun 4, 2007

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Time Out

Dismally lurid stuff, ham-fistedly directed and low on credibility.

Jun 24, 2006

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Howard Thompson

New York Times

J. Lee Thompson's direction furiously propels the action in a compact chromium-and-glass setting -- and wait till you see that last battle royal.

Rated: 3/5

May 10, 2005

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…even for a dystopian fantasy, Conquest of the Planets of the Apes is bleak, uncompromising stuff…

Rated: 3/5

Sep 18, 2022

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Dick Lochte

Los Angeles Free Press

I'm tempted to comment that reports of the Hollywood film's death have been exaggerated. It is alive and well and flourishing on the Planet of the Apes.

Jan 7, 2020

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Zaki Hasan

Zaki's Corner

The darkest and most violent chapter in a series that had fairly distinguished itself already with its dark subject matter and disturbing imagery.

Oct 31, 2018

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Jace T

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is an excellent and unnerving movie that is a strong tale and take on the civil rights movement in the United States. While some of the story beats don't makes sense, like how the apes evolved so fast in the world of the Planet of the Apes, the feeling and emotions this film portray are the best in the series. It is in no way as iconic as the original Planet of the Apes, but it is a beautiful and dark slow burn tale that captures me on a deeper level.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/28/25

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Jacob B

Probably the most divisive film in the entire Planet of the Apes franchise, Conquest does boast a strong performance from Roddy McDowall and the social commentary when keeping in mind when the film came out is not lost on me. But I definitely agree that when Rise of POTA came out, it did a much better job exploring similar ideas without having to drag time travel into the mix. Still, this film has its moments despite its budgetary constraints: the human actors remain committed without anybody seeming embarrassed to be in this type of film, I had some fun with the ape riot that forms the film's climax and I can tell the screenwriter is trying when it comes to political allegory. Sadly, moments that stretch credibility, clunky exposition and an ending that was clearly arranged after complaints about the bleak tone, despite the uncut version feeling like a more natural conclusion for this film's story, on top of having to follow the well-received Escape, make Conquest one of the weaker films in this iconic franchise. It's not bad and I respect the opinion of people who genuinely enjoy this film but I was never fully 100% into it. That's what I get for watching the thematically similar Rise first, I guess.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/15/25

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thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/07/25

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Obi-wan K

This movie is just slavery and thats it ✌🏼💔

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/04/25

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Nos 4

This movie gave me chills

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/06/25

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David C

No es mi favorita no está tan buena pero es entretenida

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/31/24

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J. Lee Thompson

Director

Roddy McDowall

Caesar

Don Murray

Governor Breck

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Synopsis

In this third sequel to "Planet of the Apes," the apes turn the tables on the human Earth population when they lead a revolt against their cruel masters in the distant year of 1990. By doing this it creates the time loop that leads to the first film. "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" is cinematically etched in broad, brash strokes slashing social satire and science fiction suspense with large-scale spectacle.

Director: J. Lee Thompson
Producer: Arthur P. Jacobs
Screenwriter: Paul Dehn
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: APJAC Productions, Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 30, 1972, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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