KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2024) - Movie Review

Director: Wes Ball
Starring: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Writer: Josh Friedman
Runtime: 145 min
Rated: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), 4K Ultra HD (Amazon), Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar's reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Review:

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" attempts to reboot the "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" trilogy, which in turn was a reboot of the original "Planet of the Apes" franchise. Normally I would roll my eyes at a reboot of a reboot, but I have to say I really liked the recent Apes movies. They were smarter than most big budget blockbusters, tackled some thought-provoking themes, and featured one of the best motion capture performances ever committed to screen. Andy Serkis as Caesar, the chimpanzee who led the ape rebellion against the humans and struggled to find a way for man and ape to coexist, should have received serious awards recognition, but was largely ignored.

This fourth installment is set around 300 years AC (After Caesar), in a world in which apes have continued to evolve while humans devolved into animals. We have a new protagonist, Noa (Owen Teague), a young ape from one of many ape tribes that have not benefitted from Caesar's legacy. Their quiet falconry-practicing existence is shattered when they are attacked by another ape clan led by the tyrannical Prixmus Caesar. Noa embarks on a journey to rescue his people alongside Raka (Peter Macon), a wise orangutan, and Mae (Freya Allan), a human with a secret agenda.

Noa's journey somewhat resembles Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto". Sometimes a little too much. The first half of the film is the most interesting, as we discover how the world has changed since the days of Caesar. The epic scope is marvelous, and the gorgeous visual effects help build a convincing post-apocalyptic landscape. The second half is where the movie gets bogged down and turns into something entirely different, but all too similar to things we've already seen in "War for the Planet of the Apes". The conflict sprung midway through the movie just isn't all that exciting, and unlike the previous three movies, it adds nothing new or original to the franchise. What it tries to do is set up a storyline for a new series of films.

Apparently "Kingdom" is intended as the first in a new trilogy, and there are even plans for a second trilogy to follow that one. Moving away from the age of Caesar was a smart thing, focusing on the many ape clans that have emerged across several generations, and how they would interact with each other without Caesar's leadership, while rediscovering lost relics of the past, which will ultimately draw us closer to the original "Planet of the Apes". However, by the end, I can't say I'm entirely sold on the ideas they've built up for the next film.

The characters are also a bit of a letdown. Despite a good performance from Owen Teague, Noa is no substitute for Serkis' complex and fascinating Caesar, and the lack of broader themes and conflicts deprive the young primate of much-needed character development apart from a cliched coming-of-age arc. Raka is basically a replacement Maurice from the previous films, and Proximus Caesar is a generic villain, with interesting motivations but no real depth. Mae becomes a more compelling character as the movie progresses, and Freya Allan's performance is a very pleasant surprise. Her murky motivations take a darker turn towards the end, which was a nice twist, and her story arc leads into a potential sequel, teasing a new conflict between humans and apes, and bringing back the question of whether or not the two species can live together in harmony.

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is a decent epic adventure with incredible visuals that unfortunately succumbs to franchise fatigue as it tries to build up a new future for the series. It's still worth a watch, but fans of the previous films should proceed with lowered expectations.

SCORE: 7/10