More than anything else, the film is entertaining and gripping
The fourth chapter in one of the greatest science fiction reboot trilogies of all time, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Might not exactly roll off the tongue but the film isn’t hard to sit through despite its length and overwhelming familiarity. Still, the question refuses to go away: was it necessary at all?
As tough as screenwriter Josh Friedman and director Wes Ball (known for Maze Runner trilogy, similarly situated in a dystopian universe) try, does it fall short, if only marginally, of what the previous three films accomplished? Be that as it may, there is enough meat in the heart Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes So that the film is not considered a futile effort.
If nothing else, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Different in tone and tenor from the kind of by-the-numbers tentpole movies that Hollywood usually throws at us, it’s a solid enough starting point for another potential bunch of big-screen adventures.
Wes Ball’s film is inventive in its own modest but focused way. It talks about the state of the earth we live in even though it moves across a time zone and space far away from us. More than anything else, it’s entertaining and engaging.
Kingdom of the Planet of the ApesThe film, or the world in which it is set, is dominated by monkeys, more so than any other film in the series. The special effects-driven action drama features only two human characters who speak little. But simians not only use human language to communicate but also have feelings that underscore their higher emotional component.
Set centuries after the events of the war Planet of the Apes (2017).
The film is about Noah (Owen Teague), a young chimpanzee of the Eagle clan who is thrown by circumstances into a cauldron of chaos from which he can only emerge stronger and wiser. A rampaging band of apes under the command of the evil Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) burn down Noir’s village and kill his father Cora (Neil Sandilands).
We first see Noah collecting eagle eggs in an initiation exercise with friend Anaya and love interest Suna. But his plans don’t go well and life takes a turn that forces him to leave his world.
Caesar (who was the focus of the previous trilogy and memorably played by Andy Serkis in an outstanding Performance Capture incarnation) is long gone, but his teachings continue to guide his acolytes generations later. But the great leader’s ideologies are twisted beyond recognition by the usurper Proximus, who runs a slave colony in an old human settlement where a bunker hides a secret that the tyrant wants access to.
But before we get there and find out exactly what Proximus’s nefarious designs are, Noah must survive many tests of endurance on his mission to find his lost clan and lead them home. He meets Raka (Peter Macon), a wise old orangutan, who reminds him of what Caesar stands for—morality, compassion, and strength. Can Noah measure up to those ideals in him?
All three characteristics come to the fore when Noah reluctantly decides to help a woman (Freya Allan), whom we encounter in the film. Christened Nova, she also has an agenda but hides her reason for seeking Nova’s help.
Captured by Proximus Caesar’s general, Noah and Nova, who reveals that her name is Mai, are taken to the settlement from which the dictator exterminates the apes he holds captive as slaves. Noah not only reunites with Tsuna and his mother, but they also meet Trevathan (William H. Macy), a man who sold his soul to the devil.
It is easy to detect parallels between the violence that Proximus unleashes and the actions of autocratic leaders in the modern world who develop myths about a great national/cultural past and culture of personality that help them cling to power. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Clash is between the quest for peace and unity and the subjugation of oppressive forces that want to take control of the world.
Even if that construction may seem somewhat obvious, if not fully worked out, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes The film is well served by the director’s ability to pack the narrative with enough action high points to offset the time it spends on exposition. Apart from that, the visually restrained film moves at a pace that does not allow the mind to stray from what is on the screen.
What works for sure Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes That the apes (and humans) are not symbols of normal civilization and that the situation the screenplay creates is not governed by the simple dynamic of saving the world from an impending-threat-of-doomsday story. Admittedly, the plot is thin and prone to overstretching but the film never stops boiling because of the subtle themes.
Wes Ball harnesses the story’s inherent strengths to deliver a dynamic story that doesn’t sacrifice important elements that make up the narrative on the altar of superficial thrills. The film certainly has plenty of taut, top-flight action sequences but they are by no means tacked on just for effect.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Set pieces have their share but they don’t look set or they are mere pieces. They are integral to the overall design of the film. This can be said more than one about most Hollywood blockbusters.
