Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (now streaming on Hulu, in addition to VOD services like Amazon Prime Video) finds itself in the unfortunate circumstance of following the best trilogy of the best blockbuster franchise of the 21st century so far. (Can I fit more “of the” into a sentence? Don’t tempt me!) Yes, better than Marvel or Star WarsThis is not a very accurate opinion: Raise, Sunrise and War for the Planet of the Apes are neo-sci-fi classics, packed with big ideas and thrilling action, and with CG/motion-capture performances so extraordinary you’ll believe an orangutan has a deeper, richer soul than your grandmother. The trilogy told the epic saga of Caesar, patient zero of the ape uprising, who becomes a “Moses figure” to the apes in Kingdomwhich takes place 300 years after his death. Director Matt Reeves, who directed the film, is out. Sunrise and Warand in it is Wes Ball, taking a big step forward from the Maze Runner films. Ball had to overcome an incredibly difficult character, and the fact that he did so Kingdom A solid continuation of the series is impressive.
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APESSTREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
The essence: We start with Caesar’s funeral, only so we can be gutted again (if the ending of War (If that didn’t leave you in a mess, then check it out.) Then, MANY GENERATIONS LATER, we’re treated to gorgeous, wide shots of a lush forest, which seems to have consumed what’s left of human civilization. Three young apes clamber up a cliff face: Noa (Owen Teague), Anaya (Travis Jeffery), and Soona (Lydia Peckham) are the chimpanzee equivalent of teenagers on the cusp of a rite of passage. They each pluck an eagle egg from nests far, far, far up high, in preparation for an impending Bonding Day ritual: Their clan has domesticated eagles, and these young apes will soon raise birds of their own. But as they ride back to their village, they have the distinct feeling that they’re being watched. It is what they call an “echo,” one of the few remaining humans, who have regressed to a primitive state, and whom these chimpanzees consider inferior to wild pigs.
Here, we establish that Noa’s mother, Dar (Sara Wiseman), is a kind soul, and his father, Kora (Neil Sandalands), the Master of Birds is… well, let’s just say there’s some father-son tension between them. It’s not explicitly stated, but the sense is that Noa’s father thinks he’s a mess, and Noa feels like he’ll never do enough to satisfy him. Kora instantly smells something unpleasant: the “echo” blanket, which Noa found. Kora gives it to the clan elders, who send a group out to investigate. Now, if you’re thinking that the eradication of human intelligence has brought about utopia, perhaps you should reflect on the concept of entropy. Unbeknownst to the Eagle Clan, there exists another group of apes who have not only figured out how to build battery-powered stun guns, but also seem to have discovered imperialism. They attack the Eagle Clan, burning down their homes, enslaving the citizens, and leaving Noa for dead.
And so Noa’s destiny is laid out before him: he will rescue his clan so they can rebuild their home. It’s a journey of discovery about himself and the world around him. He teams up with a lonely orangutan named Raka (Peter Macon), who reads books and follows the old Caesar principles — you know, ATS (Apes Together Strong) and ANKA (Ape Not Kill Ape), the things he established in the previous films. They soon encounter the “echo,” and Raka teaches Noa that he should be compassionate rather than hostile toward the girl, whom Raka names Nova. “They’re all called Nova,” he says, winking at everyone who’s seen the film. apes Movies from the 60s and 70s. But it’s actually Mae (Freya Allan), and she defies their expectations by speaking and thinking rationally, unlike the rest of the remaining humans. She knows where the Eagle Clan has been taken: to a fortress ruled by Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), who has twisted the original Caesar’s philosophies and apparently interprets ATS as “let’s enslave other apes so they don’t become humans.” Yo “It can be strong.” Hmm. It seems the apes have discovered another questionable human creation: religion!
What movies will it remind you of? The power struggles here, the post-apocalyptic rebuilt societies, and the story of a commoner destined to be much more than a commoner beg for some comparison with Furious. Otherwise, here is the DEFINITIVE ranking of all the Planet of the ApesYes, and yes, I’ve seen them all:
10. Planet of the Apes (2001) – Tim Burton’s remake is very, very bad garbage.
9. The battle for the planet of the apes (1973) – This is where the OG series ran out of money and ideas.
8. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) – A couple of good ideas about racism and prejudice, not a big budget.
7. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) – A rather crazy sequel to the first film that has the most depressing ending in cinema history. (Yes, even more depressing than Miracle Mile.)
6. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) – As I said, rock solid. More pros than cons.
5. Escape from the planet of the apes (1971) – A time-travel plot places intelligent apes in 1971, opening the door for a compelling fish-out-of-water plot (and, perhaps not so coincidentally, a shoestring budget).
4. The origin of the planet of the apes (2011) – The revival of the series is smart, funny, emotionally engaging and features a spectacular final action sequence on the Golden Gate Bridge.
3. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) – The heartbreaking yet hopeful conclusion to the Caesar saga proves that the bridge over the uncanny valley leads directly to the Planet of the Apes.
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) – Packed with ideas and thrilling action, a new marvel among high-tech blockbusters.
1. Planet of the Apes (1968) GOD DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL! An all-time sci-fi film filled with succulent irony, an iconic soundtrack, and that final scene.
Performance worth watching: One of the traps Kingdom What does he fall for? The villain overshadows the hero’s charisma thanks to Durand, who infuses Proximus with an intense and colorful desire for technology and progress (read: power) that makes him an instantly complex figure.
Memorable dialogue: Crude irony: “For Caesar!” the bad monkeys shout as they attack other monkeys with their tasers and enslave them.
Sex and skin: None.
Our opinion: I’d feel fine hanging out with the chimps of the Eagle Clan, enjoying the ins and outs of their culture in a quiet, observational drama called The anthropology of the planet of the apesBut unfortunately, big blockbusters require big risks and vigorous action sequences. Which is not to say that Kingdom It’s disappointing: it’s a fairly balanced film, with Ball applying visual rigor to both the smaller, more intimate scenes and the larger, more exciting moments of physical conflict. While it doesn’t quite live up to the previous trilogy, it’s still a worthy successor, concluding on a somewhat cliffhanger and thus setting up the arc of a planned new trilogy that we should welcome with open arms.
On the surface, Kingdom It’s not as immersive as its predecessors; if we’re splitting hairs, the computer graphics here are merely excellent rather than mind-blowing like Sunrise either WarThere’s a general sense that the ending and overall runtime could be shorter, that some characters with a lot of potential aren’t fully exploited (especially Raka and his kind, philosophizing ways, and William H. Macy’s human character, who allows Proximus to read him human literature). And while he lacks some of the compelling gravitas of Andy Serkis’ Caesar character, Noa is a worthy enough protagonist, a naive, insecure guy who has to find the courage and fortitude to be a leader. (He also learns a new word from Mae: “Shit.” Feel free to debate whether this is a good or bad thing, though it’s definitely fun.)
Compared to his opponent, Proximus is more fascinating but harder to match. He wisely points out that the duplicity that seems inherent to humans is the true evil, and the apes’ honesty makes them superior — a nice enough statement until you realize it’s coming from a guy who’s totally transparent about his “by any means necessary” and “the ends justify the means” philosophies. Clear, concise villains are boring, and Proximus isn’t made of that beige stuff — though you could argue that his big introduction halfway through gives the movie a boost exactly when it needs it, and probably should have come much sooner.
The dynamic between Proximus’ arrogance and Noa’s humility is a good one and provides a strong support for the modest abundance of ideas. Kingdom The film essentially tells the story of Noa’s expanded worldview: his clan came into being without knowing Caesar’s history. Roka’s clan embraced the noble foundations Caesar laid down. Proximus took Caesar’s teachings and twisted them. You can draw modern political and spiritual parallels if you want (and you probably will), but even if you don’t, there’s a larger message about what makes one human that aligns with the larger constellation of the apes Franchise. Part of the apes’ struggle has always been what’s worth preserving about human culture, and what parts of it tempt and corrupt them. The previous trilogy explored how Caesar valued and employed trust, a noble concept that can also be exploited by hypocrites. Beneath that lies the great struggle between hope and cynicism, how too much of the former makes you too vulnerable and too much of the latter corrupts the spirit. It’s Noa’s turn to wrestle with this, and this new trilogy is ripe and ready to pe into the philosophical depths.
Our calling: PASS IT ON. You can criticize some details Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes“It’s flawed, but considering the ambition of its visual and thematic scope, it seems like a short-sighted decision. It’s a good, solid entry in this enduring franchise.”
John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
