review for Escape from the Planet of the Apes on AllMovie

The Planet of the Apes films were never exactly straight-faced, but the third installment surely remains the most at home with its own campiness. Pseudoscience and strained plotting abound, but the film almost never makes the mistake of taking itself too seriously. By reversing the premise of the first two movies and bringing the far-future ape characters to the present-day "planet of the humans," the filmmakers are able to indulge in classic fish-out-of-water gags and poke fun at celebrity culture while furthering their franchise and making good use of the comic chemistry between lead apes Kim Hunter and Roddy McDowall (returning to the role of Cornelius after sitting out the second installment). Ricardo Montalban fills the second of his three memorable sci-fi roles as Armando, a kindly circus owner who's miles away from his Fantasy Island and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan characters, while Natalie Trundy proves game enough to poke fun at damsel-in-distress stereotypes as Dr. Stephanie Branton, the sweetest and surely the prettiest of the film's scientific supporting players. Memorable sequences include the spectacle of human actors in expensive ape makeup playing scenes with a guy in a cheap gorilla suit; a montage of Hunter's Zira trying on frocks and gowns like any other flashing-eyed starlet; and the deliciously tongue-in-cheek opening sequence, which turns sci-fi clichés on their heads. If only things didn't get so deadly serious during the mock-operatic finale, Escape From the Planet of the Apes would be a comedy classic. As is, the not-so-surprise ending restores the film's comic luster just before the credits roll.