MPAA Rating: PG-13/Genre: Sci-Fi Action/Stars: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy, Travis Jeffery, Lydia Peckham, Neil Sandilands, Eka Darville, Sara Wiseman, Dichen Lachman/Runtime: 145 minutes
I think it can definitely be said that, among the cinematic achievements attained by the decade now known as the 2010s, there is one that is worthy of mention if only for the impact that I can see it having on cinema for some time to come. That being that this was the decade which saw quite a few franchises find a groove both critically and commercially. Indeed the Marvel Cinematic Universe went on a run that DC is going to have a tough time (if ever) matching with every single movie they released from 2010-2019 being number one at the box office all while raking in for the studio a cool 21.7 billion across the planet, Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible franchise managed to really take off after being given a vital shot in the arm so to speak from 2006’s Mission: Impossible 3, Keanu Reeves gave his career a serious reload with the John Wick franchise, the Fast and Furious franchise kicked things into a nitro-fueled second gear, and of course Star Wars came back in 2015 with The New Hope Awakens which lead the franchise to a place where it has been free of missteps and miscalculation ever since (and if you believe that last statement then you don’t know sarcasm when you read it, didn’t see The Rise of Skywalker, or A and B and for that I’m sorry.) Yet nestled in among all of these, to say nothing of a few other franchises that don’t deserve mention more often than not (DCEU anyone?), there is one that I feel is worthy of bringing up even if a lot of people might have forgotten about it. That being the surprise revitalization of none other than the Planet of the Apes franchise. Indeed here is a franchise that, at one time, was seen by many as a enjoyable product of the late 60s-early 70s before then getting a 2001 remake that put it completely on ice. Yet in 2011, we saw a prequel emerge that not only was a genuinely good time, but the following two in 2014 and 2017 respectively proved to be equally as good if not better. A feat that all three managed to pull off due a wonderful blend of riveting characters, genuine gravitas, next-level visual effects work, and compelling narratives respectively. As a result, you can imagine there was a lot of pressure on the newest installment, and film I happen to be reviewing for you today, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Not just because 7 years had come and gone, but because (without spoilers) the story seemed to end perfectly in War back in 2017. Thankfully, I can say that fans won’t be disappointed. This is because it might not be on the level of the last two, but with the aid of solid work both behind and in front of the camera, this film is still able to be a gripping and enjoyable sit to say nothing of a terrific leaping off point for this franchise moving forward should the box office permit it to do so.
The plot is as follows: Getting underway in the aftermath of the events of its predecessor by a solid 300 years, we see that apes were able to successfully become species numero uno in the world following a viral ailment known as Simian Flu annihilating the vast majority of mankind and, for those who were able to survive robbing them of both being able to talk as well as quite a bit of intellect. As for what the world had been like before apes became the dominant species, we see that particular knowledge has either been lost or maintained by clan leads who have ensured most of the information is passed along to each subsequent generation albeit with certain facts not being remembered or being altered for personal motives. It is in this new world that we are quickly introduced to one of these clans known as the Eagle Clan. A clan that, among other things worth knowing about them, is a relatively peaceful group who form a distinct connection with an eagle when they are born and then aid in taking care of them so they can help with a variety of different day to day tasks. It is among this clan that we are introduced to our new hero in the form of a young ape by the name of Noa. An ape who has a bit more riding on his shoulders than some of the others in no small part to the fact that his goodhearted dad happens to be a clan leader. Perhaps this is why when his egg, which our hero risked life and limb to acquire, gets cracked, we see him decide to go and get another one the night before a very important ceremony. Tragically, we see that, in our hero’s absence, his village is attacked and obliterated by another group of apes and their leader in the form of a tyrannical ape known as Proximus Caesar who are looking for….someone for….reasons (you didn’t think I’d go into that kind of detail here did you?). Upon coming back and discovering the carnage and wreckage, we see our hero make his way on a mission not for vengeance, but to save those who were taken away so they can return home. Of course, it isn’t long before his journey leads him to cross paths with two distinct individuals. The first is an intelligent yet upstanding orangutan by the name of Raka who desperately tries to pass along the real teachings of Caesar in the hopes of keeping them alive. The second is a human girl by the name of Mae who may or may not have a few secrets of her own. Thus, can our new hero and his new allies put a stop to Proximus Caesar and his nefarious scheme of becoming a twisted 2nd coming of Caesar and rule over all the apes himself rather than let each clan live their lives in peace, or is there about to be a new top banana on this planet of apes? That I shall let you see for yourself…..
Now right off, it should be said that the work done behind the camera on this cinematic outing is fairly solid even if it’s not exactly on the same level as the previous installment or 2. This without question starts with the work done by Wes Ball at the helm and yes I too must admit that I was one of those who was on edge with him being chosen to direct this film. Not only because The Maze Runner movies are by no means a rock-solid foundation for a directing career, but also because let’s be honest: the first 3 are very much a darn near close to a spotless trilogy as you could hope to get. Thankfully, we see that not only is Ball up to the challenge of taking the reins, but he manages to give us a heck of a film in the process. Perhaps the key way that Ball is able to accomplish this is by ensuring that the heart and soul in the first three installments is still very much present. As a result, with the aid of a solid 145-minute runtime, not only will you be able to immerse yourself in the new world being presented to you, but you’ll also be able to genuinely care about the new kids (and apes) on the block. Thus, when certain things take place in this movie or when a lively action beat, which are all brilliantly shot in a swift yet wonderfully bare bone manner, occurs I promise you will find yourself either in the feels or on the edge of your seat in the best way possible. We also see that this slice of cinema is the blessed recipient of a wonderfully written script by Josh Friedman and what I dig about this film’s story is not just the fact that it doesn’t feel like it has to immediately follow-up on the events of the first three. Rather, it’s also how (like its predecessors) the film takes on at least one thought-provoking real-world idea which, in this installment, consists of tinkering with the lessons passed down to you by someone you admire until they fit your worldview for good or for ill. By doing this, not only does this film allow the audience and characters to rediscover what Caesar stood for in the first three, but it also shows what it would be like if his lessons were perhaps lost in translation a fair amount albeit not in a good way. As wonderful as those elements are, I think the main thing that people are curious about is the work done by the visual effects team. To be fair this is perfectly understandable as not only did the first three do a truly Oscar-worthy job at showcasing what could be done with motion capture, but since the apes have been getting more and more of the spotlight (big surprise there) there is more of a challenge for the team to floor us with whatever brilliance they can cook up. Fortunately, that is one challenge that this slice of cinema is not only able to meet, but knock completely out of the park as the effects on display here are nothing short of breathtaking. Indeed from a scene with our hero going up a perilous cliff to get an eagle egg, Noa and Raka sitting by a fire at night, and even an exciting chase scene near the end of the film among others there is no denying that the visual effects crew has managed to triumph once more at bringing these pesky apes back to life in a way that is stunningly realistic yet also thrilling and even heartfelt at points as well. Suffice it to say that it might have some issues here and there, but there is also no denying that the work done behind the camera here is certainly able to live up to the legacy left behind by the first 3 and then some.
Alongside the solid work done by the departments behind the camera, this cinematic outing also features really well-done work from a game cast of talent in front of the camera as well. Without a doubt, this starts with the performance given by Owen Teague as Noa. Indeed he might not be on the same level that Serkis was with his portrayal of Caesar, but even so Teague does a more than admirable to say nothing of heartfelt job at giving us a character that, through the journey he embarks on in this film, is able to go from a naïve and fairly innocent youngster to a mature and responsible individual who could feasibly take on the mantle of leadership in future installments. Besides the remarkable turn by Teague, this slice of cinema also provides audiences with a truly soulful performance from Peter Macon in the role of the upstanding and intelligent orangutan Raka. Indeed Macon does a fantastic job at bringing to life for us a character that is a wonderful blend of genuinely hilarious, insightful, and righteous in regard to both how he treats others and how he tries to uphold and pass on the teachings of Caesar to the next generation. Besides the work done by the aforementioned dynamic duo, we are also treated to a delightfully enigmatic performance from Freya Allan (Princess Cirilla of Cintra in The Witcher) as a human by the name of Mae. Indeed Allan is terrific at giving us a character that at first is very much a mystery to the other characters in this both in regards to who she is and what her objectives are. As the film goes on however, we see that Allan is able to slowly but surely do an effective job of revealing more about her character while also forming a bond with the main character that is a touching blend of merciful, admiring, and empathetic that, without going into spoilers, definitely raises a question or two that I think a future sequel should answer. Lastly, I would be very much amiss if I didn’t take some time to praise the work done by iconic character actor Kevin Durand in the role of new antagonist Proximus Caesar. Yes the film does a wonderful job of effectively building this character up before you lay eyes on him, but once you do we see that Durand does a wonderful job at bringing a genuinely menace to say nothing of terror and despicable intimidation to a character that, upon first blush, might appear to be nothing more than a simple selfish savage that enjoys putting down those he feels are less than him only to eventually reveal that he is definitely more than that in a manner that is actually thought provoking. Indeed this is a very multifaceted performance and Durand manages to play every shade of in a way that is absolutely brilliant. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in solid support turns from the iconic William H. Macy as a human character that feels very much like Frank Gallagher from Shameless in many respects, Eka Darville who is genuinely ruthless as Proximus’ military commander Sylva, Sara Wiseman, and Neil Sandilands among others it’s clear that this film might monkey around on certain things, but the work by the cast (by and large) is not one of them.
All in all and at the end of the day is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination? Honestly no though that’s ok because that can be quite the unfair obstacle to pit a movie up against. With that in mind, is this the worst thing to happen to this franchise since the 2001 remake that had Marky Mark minus the Funky Bunch, the blue man from Big Fat Liar, and Abomination from the MCU? Thankfully no though in all fairness at least two of those performers were trying (as for which two I’ll let you guess that for yourself). Sarcastic remarks about THAT cinematic fiasco aside dear reader, I will say that I do dig quite a bit out of this particular movie. Yes (among other detriments) the pacing does start out a bit on the slow side, yes you could make the argument that the ending does seem a bit anticlimactic at points, yes the film overall is a step down in many respects from its immediate predecessor, and yes the musical accompaniment for this one is solid yet not quite on the level brought by Michael Giacchino to the previous entry. With that being said though dear reader, the direction is wonderfully executed, the action beats are thrilling, the characters be they of the human or ape variety are wonderfully brought to life by a well-chosen group of performers even if some of them feel like they might be getting a wee bit shortchanged to a degree, the script is actually quite thought-provoking, and the visual effects are (to hopefully no surprise) nothing short of absolutely stunning and a true treat for the eyes in every way possible. Suffice it to say then dear reader that Kingdom for the Planet of the Apes might not be top banana in this particular franchise, but there is also no denying that this installment is also a wonderfully made follow-up to three of the previous decade’s most unlikely critically and commercially beloved films to say nothing of a solid foundation should the powers that be wish to make more installments in this franchise. A choice that, should they be of this quality, I would be all for and trust me when I say I’m not monkeying around on that one. Make of that what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes a solid 4 out of 5 bananas.
