Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” stars Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, and William H. Macy.  Released on May 10, 2024, the film is about a chimpanzee embarking on a journey to determine the future for apes and humans.

The film is directed by Wes Ball, best known for directing the “Maze Runner” trilogy.  It is the fourth installment in the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise.  “Planet of the Apes” is a cinematic sci-fi phenomenon exploring a civilization of intelligent monkeys dominating the human species.  In 2011, the franchise returned with a prequel/reboot that depicts the rise of the new world order led by the legendary ape Caesar.  His legacy gave birth to the world audiences know from the original film, but that doesn’t mean the journey is over. No one expected “Planet of the Apes” to have another reboot that focuses on quality storytelling over quantity like the other pointless IP-based reboots, let alone a trilogy. However, it proved us wrong thanks to the talents of Rupert Wyatt, Matt Reeves, and the mo-cap master himself, Andy Serkis.  With the satisfaction we got from “War for the Planet of the Apes”, we assumed that we’d seen the last of Caesar.  But as usual, Hollywood couldn’t resist keeping the monkey train going, as we now have another installment in the franchise that continues Caesar’s legacy through the perspective of a new protagonist and a new director.  Does it honor the groundbreaking quality of the reboot trilogy, like how the apes honor Caesar’s wise teachings?  Let’s find out.

The story is set 300 years after “War for the Planet of the Apes”.  The intelligent apes have evolved into civilized clans in a forest-like utopia while every human has regressed into primitive states.  The film focuses on Noa (Teague), a young chimpanzee hunter living with his Eagle Clan.  However, his sanctuary was interrupted by the rise of Proximus Caesar (Durand), a bonobo monarch who leads a coastal clan seeking to gain human technologies for nefarious purposes.  Proximus is misusing Caesar’s teachings to kidnap and enslave the remaining ape clans, including Noa’s.  With his family in danger, Noa embarks on a dangerous journey to rescue them.  With a wise orangutan named Raka (Macon) and a feral young woman named Mae (Allan) by his side, Noa seeks to overthrow Proximus, leading him to discover more of the history between humans and apes, which would save their future.

In case you’re living under a rock, the “Planet of the Apes” reboot trilogy was my first actual exposure to the sci-fi franchise, one that I also began admiring.  I had not watched the original movies that came out in the 60s and 70s nor the Tim Burton remake that made fans go bananas, but not in a good way.  But that could change after watching the recent movies. The trilogy proved itself as another example of cinematic quality over quantity through its character-driven narratives and emotional themes, but more importantly, it showcases motion-capture technology’s worth in immersing audiences through the actors’ performances, with Andy Serkis being the prime example.  While I was initially a bit concerned about the franchise continuing after the rewarding conclusion of “War for the Planet of the Apes”, I still had a glimmer of hope toward this latest continuation due to the involvement of Wes Ball, who I thought did a decent job translating “The Maze Runner” into movie form.  Additionally, the concept of an ape civilization inspired by Caesar proves to have potential in the franchise's world-building. 

With the reboot trilogy centering around the rise and fall of Caesar, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” serves as the aftermath and how his legacy affected the characters through their different beliefs.  One particular example is Raka, the last ape supporting Caesar’s hope for a peaceful coexistence.  However, some have different approaches to honoring Caesar’s actions, mainly Proximus, who took advantage of his legacy through slavery and dominance over the feral humans.  The film delves into the intricate theme of legacy and how it plays a significant role in shaping future generations. It portrays how each character, mainly Raka and Proximus, views Caesar's legend through their unique perspectives, highlighting their varied motives and aspirations. Noa gets caught up in the conflict while trying to save his clan, which makes him question whether humans and apes can live together peacefully.

It’s an intriguing concept wrapped with elements of a road trip movie and a historical epic but with monkeys.  But does it make for a great “Planet of the Apes” movie?  Well, almost.  Does it deliver as a worthy piece of sci-fi action cinema?  Yes, it does.  “Kingdom” maintains the pieces that made the reboot trilogy outstanding and expands them into a vast and visually stellar world reminiscent of the original 1968 film.  However, its storytelling seemed to lack parts of the emotional core that drove Caesar’s soulful journey of leadership and hope.  Despite its hefty runtime, the story was still engaging and thoughtful through its characters and world-building.  However, regarding the emotional depth of its themes and narrative beats, it’s a far cry from what Matt Reeves delivered in the last two installments.  The first act sets up promise for an emotional roller coaster, only to have lost some of its footing throughout the rest of the movie. 

But I would be lying if I said Wes Ball wasn’t a good choice to bring this rich, ape-covered world to life. His storytelling approach may have lacked an essence to keep its apes strong, but Ball knows how to make the vast settings surrounding the characters and action immersive and vivid.  This is similar to what he accomplished in the “Maze Runner” films, which also provided suitable production designs for their dystopian settings and action sequences.  This should be good news for the filmmaker, especially since he’s in talks to direct the “Legend of Zelda” movie.  The production design was vastly aided by the spectacular CGI effects, which maintained the high quality and intricate detail of the reboot trilogy. These effects made the audience feel like they were a part of the journey with Noa and his comrades. The motion-capture technology used for the apes was genuinely remarkable, making them appear more human than any other CGI creature ever put on screen.

Regarding the cast, they performed very well in their roles.  Owen Teague, famous for his role as Patrick Hockstetter in the recent "It" adaptations, portrays Noa, the new protagonist ape who endeavors to save his family. Although not as memorable as Andy Serkis's Caesar, Teague delivers an admirable performance through motion capture to make Noa a captivating character worthy of carrying its potential sequels. Freya Allan also did a decent job as Mae, an intelligent feral woman who hides a secret agenda.  Peter Macon's portrayal of Raka was the most impressive among the cast. Although he didn't have as much screen time as Noa or Mae, Raka's wise and virtuous personality made him an endearing companion for the protagonists. He also provided some humorous moments and expositions that added to the overall enjoyment of the journey.  Of course, there’s also Kevin Durand, who went from battling a vampiric ballerina to voicing a monkey king.  Durand provided plenty of pizazz into Proximus’s ruthless and intimidating personality even though he couldn’t take the crown from Koba as the franchise’s best antagonist.

Overall, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” continues the franchise’s reign with another visually stunning and immersive blockbuster fit for a king.  Although the film might not have the same emotional impact as its two predecessors, it is still a commendable continuation of Caesar's legacy. It retained the high quality that defined the reboot trilogy and made it the most remarkable achievement in the franchise. The storytelling is engaging and well-crafted, which should satisfy fans of the iconic film series. It doesn’t beat out “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” as my favorite installment regarding the reboot series. However, it’s still an entertaining successor worth going bananas for, thanks to its talented motion-capture cast, Ball’s direction, and stunning visuals.  What a wonderful day indeed.

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