Since 1968, the Planet of the Apes franchise has made its imprint on Hollywood through both its practical and visual effects and jaw-dropping finales. While the sequels to the original 1968 film failed to live up to the first film, the series remained beloved. In 2001, Tim Burton failed miserably in bringing the franchise back to life, and it remained dormant until 2011.
With the release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the franchise received a breath of fresh air that led to a trilogy that is seen as one of the best of all time. The modern Apes trilogy offered thought-provoking ideas while continuing to captivate audiences with its imaginative premise and resonant themes. The latest trilogy served as both entertainment and a reflection of our own society, prompting viewers to consider the consequences of our actions and the potential for both progress and downfall.
As the credits rolled on War for the Planet of the Apes, I never would have imagined the series would not only be brought back but return in a fashion that would spark interest and cement the modern Planet of the Apes films as one of this era’s best rebooted franchises.
Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes offers another moving exploration into the world of man and ape. Pacing issues aside, the film not only explores the complexities of Caesar’s legacy but offers a beautifully crafted coming-of-age tale that patiently establishes the state of the planet.
Set 300 years after the events of War, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes reintroduces the apes with newly emerged civilizations. During this time, humans have regressed to a primitive state, while apes have become the dominant species. While young Noa and his family live peacefully, Proximus Caesar invades Noa’s clan and enslaves them, which leads to a journey of self-discovery for Noa as he meets a human named Mae and an orangutan named Raka.
Screenwriter Josh Friedman, best known for his work on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, War of the Worlds, and James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, crafts a screenplay that examines the effect time has on one’s legacy. In the case of Caesar, his true ideologies are a dying breed, while Proximus Caesar takes Caesar’s teachings and conveys them with extremism, evoking the concept of “one hears what they want.” Proximus fails to truly understand what the first elder was trying to convey.
Aiding Friedman’s screenplay and themes is Wes Ball’s direction as he takes his time world-building a planet that establishes Caesar’s Christ-like persona for both good and bad. While Ball’s direction is his most impressive yet, his dedication to patient world-building negatively affects the overall pacing of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. At 2 hours and 25 minutes, the film’s length is the longest in the franchise, and there are moments throughout where the length is felt, and a tighter runtime would have added to the film’s overall success.
With Andy Serkis leaving behind three of the best motion-capture performances of all time, the importance of establishing new apes in which cinephiles can emotionally invest was of utmost importance. Thanks to the sensational performances of Kevin Durand, Owen Teague, and Peter Macon, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes delivers not only in introducing new characters but also in taking the mantle from Serkis and continuing the franchise in an engaging and thematically rich fashion.
As far as the humans go, Freya Allan and William H. Macy go toe-to-toe with the apes, with Allan offering unique and conflicted performances as two humans who view the future of ape and man in different perspectives. In their subjective views on man and ape, the performances, specifically Allan’s, assist in setting up a future for the series that is nothing short of exciting.
Speaking of the performances, the VFX of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes are a visual feast as the film bestows the most impressive visual effects in a film since James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. From its opening shot to its third-act action set piece, the film never waivers from impressing with its visuals and brings to light the reminder that this series has yet to win an Oscar for visual effects. In a year where Dune: Part Two felt like a slam dunk winner, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is here to say, not so fast sandworms!
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was a film that I did not have high expectations for. As someone who adores the Apes trilogy of the 2010s, this film is one of the biggest surprises of the year thus far. Oh, what a wonderful day it is to travel to the Planet of the Apes once again.
