Our Review of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes!
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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the latest release in the Planet of the Apes franchise. To be clear, this entry is in line with the reboot of the series which began in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The other films related to this thread in the franchise were Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes continues those films but is a new story with new characters.
Though the film does open with a scene very soon after the ending of War for the Planet of the Apes, the story of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes begins, as the caption in the film states, generations later. We are introduced to brand new characters for the series and a protagonist who is young and very different from the character of Caesar (who was masterfully portrayed by Andy Serkis in the preceding films but is not in this one) from the first three films in this reboot. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes really is like Planet of the Apes: The Next Generation.
Our primary protagonist in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is Noa, played by Owen Teague (It, Eileen, Reptile). Noa is the young son of the patriarch of his tribe and it is through his journey that the audience is guided through this new world. Generations after the time of Caesar, the planet is a very different place. The apes are the dominant species and have branched out into tribes. Noa comes from a tribe which is very in tune with nature and works with eagles. They capture eggs and raise the eagles as companions. One thing that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes does really well is crafting a world which is fully fleshed out and based on the rules and ideologies set in the three preceding films.
While Noa and his tribe were not aware of Caesar and how the world was during and before the apes took control, other tribes are not only very aware, but have made Caesar an almost messianic like figure by quoting his teachings and beliefs. The character of Raka, an orangutan played by Peter Macon (The Orville), represents apes who follow the teachings of Caesar for the path of pacifism. The character of Proximus, a bonobo played by Kevin Durand (Abigail, Real Steel) on the other hand commits acts of violence and oppression in the name of Caesar.
The contrast of the dueling interpretations of Caesar’s teachings with the protagonist of Noa caught between them, is an interesting exploration into how societies interpret and use the teachings of key figures in history who have long since passed. Another contrast is the difference between both of those ideologies based on the past and Noa’s tribe which is more about being in tune with nature and the world over seeking technology and the morals valued by humans.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is an interesting take on the post apocalypse genre of films because its focus is less about surviving the dangers of the new world and more about how the inhabitants who inherit the Earth must find their own way. Proximus and the humans, while adverse to each other, are trying to rebuild based on the remnants of the old world, but Noa and his tribe are the real successor to Caesar in that they have gone away from the old world and developed a new lifestyle which is more dependent on nature. Being so far away from the remains of the old world, they are less likely to repeat the mistakes which destroyed it and instead will be more likely to thrive with the planet.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes cannot really be described as a retelling of the original idea, but more so taking and reshaping the concept and what it could mean. The original basic concept is there, but the story and morals being illustrated are very different. As such, it is unnecessary to know much about the original book and original films. There is enough exposition in the beginning of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes that it is possible to go completely blind into it without having seen the preceding three films.
This completely different journey and story is fresh and more of an adventure in a brand-new world than previous Planet of the Apes films. Additionally, the effects are top tier and so much of the environment and characters are indistinguishable from what is real and what is artificial. The violence is never extreme and there is nothing crude or offensive. There is one joke which uses the word “shit” but other than that, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is perfectly acceptable for audiences of all ages. The film is almost two and half hours long so that might be a deterrent for very young viewers, but the audience for this is more geared toward teens and above.
Check it out in theaters now!
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