The ‘Planet of the Apes’ franchise started in 1968 and became one of the most iconic science fiction series in cinematic history. After the 2001 Tim Burton remake, the series laid dormant.
In 2011, ‘Apes’ came back in a big way with the start of the reboot trilogy (starting with ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’). Now, it’s time to go back to the world of the Apes in the anticipated ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.’
‘Kingdom’ 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.
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is a compelling, and at times, thrilling journey that will easily captivate anyone who has either seen the recent reboot trilogy or the original
series.
After enjoying the previous trilogy, I was really looking forward to the next installment of the ‘Apes’ franchise. ‘Kingdom’ is a really great continuation of the Caesar legacy. This sequel shows how the apes have become more evolved and also builds the world of the apes more.
The first moments of this film can be on the slow-moving side at times as it spends a good amount of time getting us to know the new characters. Yet, even though the beginning can be slow, you will still feel invested in this story.
Once we get to the mysterious human character (Mae) and learn more about the film’s villain, the story really picks up. When we see that Mae can easily communicate (unlike the other humans) and we see the ape’s reactions, it can give you a slight chuckle.
The visual effects in this entry are incredibly stunning and the animation used for the apes is just as great as the previous films. ‘Kingdom’ also does a decent job with the lead ape character Noa, who is the main focus of this film and the next potential set of films.
The action in this entry is also really fun to watch, especially as we get to the final act. There are also a few twists and turns in this film that can give you a little hint of where this series could go down the road.
Overall, this is a great continuation of the series. Filled with great action, an amazing story and incredible visual effects, I can’t wait to see what the series will bring next and how it would eventually lead to the 1968 original.
The cast: Owen Teague as Noa; Freya Allen as Mae; Kevin Durand as Proximus Caesar; Peter Macon as Raka; Eka Darville as Sylva; Travis Jeffrey as Anaya; Neil Sandilands as Koro; Ras-Samuel as Lightning; Sara Wiseman as Dar and William H. Macy as Trevathan.
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is written by Josh Freidman (Avatar: The Way of Water) and directed by Wes Ball (The Maze Runner trilogy).
A continuation of the series has been in development for some time, but development slowed down a bit when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019. In this film, the Raka character calls Mae “Nova” for a little while. Nova is also the name of the mute woman in the original film. In June 2022, it was reported that Disney and 20th Century planned for ‘Kingdom’ to be the first of a new trilogy.
‘Kingdom’ is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action and has a running time of 145 minutes.
Let me know on my Wyoming County Press Examiner reviews page on Facebook what your favorite film in the series is (and I will also have quick takes on each film available on the page as well)
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