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.
Director: Wes Ball
Cast: Freya Allan, Owen Teague, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy
Release Date: May 10, 2024
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action
Runtime: 2h 25m
Review:
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a technical marvel with its impressive motion-capture performances and visceral action set pieces, but it’s grounded by strong storytelling that makes you care about the digitally created characters. Wes Ball takes the reigns of the revived franchise with a solid sense of direction and confidence as he opens up a new chapter in the story. Ball clearly has a love for the franchise as he peppers his film with a bevy of nods to the original film in both visual and musical cues throughout. His most impressive feat though is managing all the visual effects while never losing focus on the characters. The film only contains three major action sequences which are visually dazzling but there's a degree of care taken in between to make sure those moments matter. Owen Teague is tasked with filling the massive shoes left by Andy Serkis as the new lead character. His performance is thoughtfully authentic and heartfelt as he gives the character a believable sense of guilt and self-doubt that plague the accidental hero. It’s an engaging, likable turn that forms a tangible emotional connection with audience from the opening sequence with Lydia Peckham's Soona and Travis Jeffery's Anaya. Peckham and Jeffery make the most with their limited screen time, leaving a noticeable impression which bodes well for future installments. Likewise, Peter Macon's turn as the orangutan Raka is surprisingly effective which leaves the film missing his presence once he's off the screen. Kevin Durand's Proximus Caesar makes for an intriguing villain but the film doesn't spend enough time on him to make him as layered as they could have before becoming full on murderous in the final action sequence. The concept of having Caesar's ideals being warped in the years after his death is fascinating but the story doesn’t explore it in any serious way which feels like a missed opportunity. Freya Allan serves as the main human actor for the majority of the film and does solid if unremarkable work compared to her costars. William H. Macy makes a late stage appearance but doesn't really make much of an impact outside of having a familiar face relay some background exposition. The final act does have a strangely rushed feel to it especially since the previous two acts had a measured more methodical pace. It’s not bad enough to make the story collapse but a noticeable stumble getting to the finish line.
B+
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