Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Kaitlyn Booth, Movies, Review | Tagged: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a bit slow to start, but it is ultimately a promising start to a new chapter in this particular franchise.
Article Summary
- Slow start but evolves into a thrilling, worthy addition to the franchise.
- Explores the post-Caesar world, successfully introducing new characters.
- Stunning special effects blend seamlessly with strong performances.
- Approachable for newcomers and satisfyingly nod-heavy for long-time fans.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes a little while to get going, but once it does, it becomes an immersive and thrilling new entry that feels like a natural extension of the franchise.
Director: Wes Ball
Summary: Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
When Rise of the Planet of the Apes was released in 2011, everyone thought it was a cheap cash-in on a recognizable IP, and there wasn’t any chance the film would actually be good. Then it was, and it was followed by two even better sequels, cementing that trilogy as one of the best to come out of the 2010s. So when Disney and 20th Century Studios announced their intentions of continuing the Planet of the Apes franchise, everyone immediately thought it was a cheap cash-in on a recognizable IP, and there wasn’t any chance the film would actually be good. It’s funny how history can repeat itself so soundly in less than two decades. Either way, that is what Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has been going up against since it was announced. Unlike the beginning of the previous trilogy, which had to be better than the Tim Burton film [a bar so low you could stub your toe on it], this film is going up against that previous trilogy and the pedigree they carry. So it’s frankly amazing that not only is Kingdom good, but it in no way feels like a cheap cash-in.
This is a film taking place reportedly centuries after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes and Kingdom spares a couple of minutes a few sentences in a title card explaining the events of the previous trilogy to those who might be unfamiliar with this version of the franchise. From there, we see a brief scene around the events of War, and we’re off to the races. One of the things that is a bit shaky about this film is how long it takes to set up this new world and establish the new characters. This takes up a good portion of the first and second acts, but once the inciting incident occurs and Noa (Owen Teague) sets out on his own, things start to pick up a little. However, these extra moments with the apes and showing this world are important because we must be invested in making Noa’s journey worth following. These moments also help make the film welcoming to new fans, but it does make the first third or so of the movie drag a little bit, even if it is something that needs to happen and isn’t even something that could be changed or avoided.
Once Kingdom gets going, it settles in nicely into something that feels like a natural extension of the franchise. The arcs that we are watching Noa and even Mae (Freya Allan) go through make sense for what the state of the world would be after the events of the previous films. It all makes sense if you think about it for a couple of minutes, so there isn’t anything contrived about any of it. This isn’t a movie twisting itself into knots trying to figure out a way to kick off the events of this film. Without spoiling too much, this almost feels like what was planned all along after Caesar’s arc ended. The evolution of the ape’s cultures and how they react to the world around them. The trajectory they are on is, ironically, very human and relatable. For Mae and what the humans are doing, this also feels natural. For a minute, you’re wondering how exactly this is working out, but by the end, the film lays the cards out on the table for all to see; all of the pieces fall easily into place, and the only stones left unturned are intentional.
20th Century and the rest of the marketing has not been shy about saying that this film intends to kick off a new trilogy of films. There is always a worry when people come out of the gate saying things like this because they might put the cart before the horse and assume that the trilogy is coming, so they don’t do much in that first film, and it might not even have an ending at all. The main hints that there is more on the horizon in Kingdom are the longer first and second acts setting up the world and making sure it feels real and immersive so they don’t need to do it all over again in movie two. The other is the very end, where we see some big reveals concerning where this world might be going. However, within those two bookends is a complete story, which was a concern going in. We see Noa have a complete character arc, and the bookend story ends nicely, leaving plenty of space for more films to continue exploring this new world.
It’s practically a given that the special effects would be incredible since technology has only improved as time has gone on, but it is seamless with how real these apes look. The performances from people like Teague as Noa, Peter Macon as Raka, and especially Kevin Durand as Proximus Caesar so blended with the digital effects that create these apes that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. It’s a testament to the special effects team and the actors for putting in the work to make these creatures feel as human as Allan does. Once again, you’ll believe that apes can ride horses. As for Allan, it’s been lovely watching her come into her own as an actor the longer she is on the scene. For most of the film, she is the only human against all of the apes, and it says a lot about Allan’s talent that she can simultaneously look incredibly vulnerable and incredibly powerful. To be a human in this world, you have to be a survivor above all else, and Allan imbues all of that into every aspect of her performance. She said this is her ” proudest moment in my career so far,” and it’s clear why. This is a hard role for anyone, and she does it very gracefully.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a promising start to a new chapter in this particular franchise. There are a couple of things that don’t exactly work, and the film is almost two and a half hours long, which is always a little ridiculous. But it does a good job of setting up the stakes of this world and these characters for new and old fans alike. It’s surprisingly approachable for those unfamiliar with the previous trilogy, provided they can wrap their heads around the concept of super-intelligent apes. As for old fans, the film is littered with little callbacks to the previous movies and small details that add some depth to everything, but don’t take away from the movie if you miss it. This would always be a film that would have to work twice as hard to “justify” its existence, but much in the same way that Rise spoke for itself when it was released all of those years ago, Kingdom speaks for itself today.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Review by Kaitlyn Booth
8/10
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes a little while to get going, but once it does, it becomes an immersive and thrilling new entry that feels like a natural extension of the franchise.
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