Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Rating 4/10

“Apes in their kingdom, excitement should be bold. Sadly, dullness reigns, and the story feels old.”

I wanted to take a brief departure from my typical movie review. The inspiration for starting this blog back in 2009 was Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide. Like his capsule reviews, I wanted to write “fast” film reviews that captured my feelings in a sentence or two. If I had written an assessment for this picture back then, it would’ve been that opening quote. I was tempted to leave it at that. After all less is more, right? OK back to your regularly scheduled review.

In a world where humanity has fallen, apes roam the Earth in separate clans. Noa (Owen Teague), a young chimpanzee, sets out on a journey after his clan is attacked by a faction of militant prinates led by Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), an authoritarian who has perverted the teachings of the original Caesar to justify domination. With the assistance of an enlightened orangutan named Raka (Peter Macon) and a human outsider called Mae (Freya Allan), Noa endeavors to rescue his family from Proximus’ oppressive regime. The tale unfolds as Noa embraces his leadership role and endeavors to thwart a tyrant. Noa and Mae’s expedition evolves into a struggle for freedom as they navigate the complexities of their respective worlds. They discover common ground along the way, offering a glimpse of hope for a future where humans and apes might coexist again.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes presents a stunning world where simians reign supreme. This is set three hundred years after Caesar’s death. Granted, actor Andy Serkis portrayed a charismatic hero in what should have been a trilogy. His is a tough act to follow. Screenwriter Josh Friedman (The Black Dahlia) had free rein to create something fresh and exciting. I was prepared for an inventive and dynamic new exploration of the apes’ world. While the landscapes and intricately designed society are visually captivating, the plot fails to deliver the same level of engagement. The promise of a thrilling adventure dissipates as a pervasive sense of monotony permeates the proceedings.  

 Instead of blazing new trails, the narrative feels recycled, echoing themes and conflicts seen in previous installments of the franchise. What could have been an exhilarating quest doesn’t set itself apart from any other generic account about different divisions trying to coexist. Noa and his clan, the sympathetic primates we side with, are dreary, uninspired characterizations. Mae, the human, is a complete cipher. Who is this woman, and why should we care about this nonentity? Honestly, with the exception of the knowledgeable Raka, none of the characters have the depth or emotion to gain our interest. The sluggish pace of the exposition, coupled with the lack of evolving characters, is underwhelming. To make matters worse, director Wes Ball (The Maze Runner trilogy) has taken these problems and exacerbated them. Ball has stretched what should have been a 90-minute idea out to a punishing 2-hour and 25-minute endurance test. I could not wait for this to be over.

Despite my distaste, I will remain charitable in my conclusion out of respect for cinematic history. This current iteration of Planet of the Apes started in 2011 and was promised to end in 2017, but 20th Century Studios decided to release another one. It’s a standalone entry, so you need not have watched a single one of these pictures to understand it. In fact, it’s probably preferable. That way you can’t compare Kingdom to the other better chapters in this series.

For those who are eager to revisit familiar territory, this latest installment could be a trip worth taking.  It apparently holds a certain charm for die-hard fans of the series. However, I recommend sticking to the reboot trilogy (Rise, Dawn & War) and skipping this latest episode if you seek something fresh and innovative. Oh, and it goes without saying that the original Planet of the Apes, from 1968, starring Charlton Heston, outshines everything as the gold standard for this franchise.  

05-09-24