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A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days on my Nintendo Switch, I can be found at concerts or playing basketball.
The summer blockbuster season has officially begun with Wes Ball and Josh Friedman’s Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes. This installment is a direct follow-up to the acclaimed reboot trilogy that began with Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of The Planet of The Apes in 2011.
Set 300 years after those films, what remains of Earth is a visual spectacle. Lush greens and forests flourish through the few remnants of human civilization. Here, we meet Noa (portrayed by Owen Teague) from the kind-natured “Eagle Clan”, a village of apes that have domesticated eagles and raise them as companions. Noa and his friends kick off our adventure with a perilous climb up semi-decomposed skyscrapers. The dangerous journey is to obtain their own eagle eggs that they may raise for their own. Their journey home then takes a slight detour that changes their lives forever.
Full of Charm
After an aggressive clan of apes ravages Noa’s village, he ventures into the unknown to discover more about his attackers. On the way, he meets a wise orangutan named Raka, played by Peter Macon. Raka delivers a lot of much-needed exposition and also serves as a bridge between the audience and the previous films. Macon’s performance is both funny and endearing, thanks to his passion for history.
Noa himself is a likable protagonist and once things are set in motion, we feel and witness the story unfold through his lens. Teague (It: Chapter One, Black Mirror Series 4) had big shoes to fill in comparison to Andy Serkis’s legendary motion-capture performance as Caesar, but he holds his own as young Noa. His wide-eyed wonder and innocence are genuine. Noa’s first meeting with Raka is my favorite section of the film and my fondness for his character only grew from this point on. The pair eventually become entangled with a shifty, mysterious human named Mae (Freya Allan), who is actually the catalyst for the entire conflict.
He Who Would Be King
It was a desperate search for Mae that caused Noa’s village to be caught in the crossfire. The hunt was ordered out by Proximus Casesar, an intimidating tyrant who is seeking to create an empire of apes. Proximus comes bursting to life thanks to Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Fruitvale Station, Abigail). The under-appreciated character actor brings a commanding ferocity and power to Proximus that is impressive. Like other great villains, there is also a relatable, compassionate side that Durand uses to his advantage. For as much as he wants great things for apes, it also comes at the expense of the few humans who remain.
Coming Full Circle for the Planet of the Apes
There is a reason that the Planet of The Apes franchise has endured over fifty years to varying degrees of success and fandom. Its lore is rich and full of philosophical and existential themes that challenge our values and place on this planet. These make it all the more exciting and surprising that this tenth installment still manages to make an impact on modern audiences. After showing the fall of man and the rise of apes, Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes literally brings us back to a world like the one seen in the original 1968 film. It’s a welcome return, and within the realm of this new set of films, we have opportunities to expand and explore even deeper into this mythology.
The previous two films directed by Matt Reeves are so exceptionally good that they set unfair expectations for any upcoming films to follow. I had this same exact feeling and notion with Toy Story 4. A fourth installment following two epic movies that, while good, feels ultimately unnecessary. This is no knock on the director Wes Ball by any means. Yet, I couldn’t help but shake that feeling during most of my experience watching Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes. It’s honestly a solid, entertaining film, but just not quite as powerful as what came before it.
Luckily though, despite the small dip in overall quality, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes makes up for it in an abundant amount of heart. I absolutely adored Noa and his “Eagle Clan” and from the strength of his performance alone, I will happily look forward to the next chapter in the Apes saga.
3.5/5 stars
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A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days on my Nintendo Switch, I can be found at concerts or playing basketball.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.