Out of all the sequels expected to be released this year, Kingdom of the Planet of the Ape, the tenth film in the franchise that started 56 years ago, was undoubtedly one of my most anticipated. Because when you have a movie with intelligent apes who can ride horseback, how does that not sound amazing? However, this worrying factor was that it wouldn’t live up to what we got with a standout trilogy. And how could it? Nobody thought 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes would be unique, considering it had replaced makeup with CGI and followed Tim Burton’s poorly received film from a decade ago. However, it surprised everyone, including myself. The sequels, directed by Matt Reeves, were even better, giving us Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in 2014 (my personal favorite) and the underrated War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017. The thought of 20th Century Studios wanting to do a continuation with Reeves and especially Andy Serkis as Caesar, one of the greatest characters in recent memory, didn’t sound right, and the back of my head knew this would be in the shadows of its predecessors. Luckily for fans who have enjoyed old and recent installments in this long-running sci-fi franchise, director Wes Ball impressively keeps the franchise alive with a visually stunning adventure.

What’s the Story: Many generations have passed since Caesar’s reign when he saved his fellow apes to freedom and has since passed peacefully. The apes have become the world’s dominant species in following his philosophy, whereas humans, known as “echos,” are in a feral state without the ability to speak. Noa (Owen Teague) is a young ape who lives among his eagle-oriented clan and is about to take the rite of passage in hopes of training an eagle of his own. When his egg breaks and he doesn’t want to disappoint his father, he takes it upon himself to find a new egg. Soon, he spots masked apes hunting the remaining humans, causing them to retreat to Noa’s village, burned down by those who serve the fearless bonobo Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). With nowhere else to turn, Noa goes on a journey to rescue his clan from this prison camp, where he meets Raka (Peter Macon) and a young human woman named Mae (Freya Allan, The Witcher) who’ll leave him questioning what he’s been taught about his evolution. 

Was it going to be easy to capture the same scope and emotional heft we’ve felt from the trilogy seven years later? Probably not. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes attempts to continue to pave the way to contain the type of story that feels fresh around certain metaphorical elements around the spectacle. Some of the skepticism was primarily on Ball as the director. Since he’s best known for the Maze Runner film series, which I’ve never been a fan of, and announced to helm the upcoming Legend of Zelda adaptation, he’s never had trouble handling his distinct style the action, trying to use real locations to embrace the scale to its post-apocalyptic setting.

Since we last saw the apes and even during Caesar’s rise to power, we see a different dynamic between them, especially in their verbal communication and living in their society. This sequel still carries over that thematic religious aspect of how the characters view him as their God based on his legacy. Ideally, it’s an interesting angle for Ball and screenwriter Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds) to play off of. We see what happens when others who followed him can interpret his teachings differently, taking what he taught and applying it to their advantage. At least from my perspective, and how people from other religions follow the same paths. 

Undoubtedly, the recent movies’ most impressive aspect is their ability to captivate audiences with the stunning CGI and motion capture work by Wētā FX. Despite initial suspicion from the trailers, these films have proven to be on par with their predecessors, all of which earned Oscar nominations for Best Visual Effects. The characters are so lifelike that it’s easy to forget they’re not real, even if it doesn’t match the flawless visuals of War. You have to pay attention to the production design and how old buildings and surroundings through the wilderness have changed with growing vines and rusted boats. Ball also builds upon how every action sequence has a purpose to the story, with the set piece of Proxmius’ clan attacking the humans and Mae trying to escape them, being pretty awesome. 

It’s disappointing that a Planet of the Apes movie is now without Caesar. But I couldn’t believe how invested I was in our protagonist, Noa, and not just anyone from Caesar’s lineage like his youngest son. Who knew this was going to be a coming-of-age story with the focus on a relatable and determined ape willing to fight for what he believes? Teague is fantastic at anchoring the film on his shoulders. Since I wasn’t familiar with the actor by name, seeing Noa as a real ape was believable to follow this hero in dissecting this world he thought he knew. But my favorite character, and the one everyone will talk about, is Peter Macon’s Raka, a wise orangutan who follows peace and wants to spread the word about Caesar’s real legacy with some nice touches of humor. With him and Maurice from the original trilogy, I think orangutans have become one of my favorite animals since they seem so wise, and you want to chill with them. And once we witness Proximus in the flesh, this king takes Caesar’s meanings to make him the ruthless ruler you don’t want to antagonize. It takes until the second act to finally see his presence as threatening and learn how he came into power when trying to break into an impregnable vault. Still, Durand continues to make a name for himself with his recent performances in this and Abigail. 

The common detriment to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be the human element between what goes on with Noa and his journey. That’s not to say that Allan’s performance is lacking, as we discover Mae may be more intelligent than others perceive her to be. Most complained that the scenes that do not involve the apes are less significant, considering them less interesting. I didn’t mind it in the other films. Here, they aren’t that important when it’s Mae or William H. Macy as Trevathan, the one human at the camp willing to side with the apes. Not only that, but it was an expected slow burn. The first act, especially, does start slow when establishing the characters and adjusting to what we’re seeing now in their world. I entirely can’t agree with those who might find the movie boring towards the end. However, I cannot think of any scenes that could be removed to keep the pace consistent. When I first watched War, I felt some scenes could have been cut, but when I rewatched it recently, it flew by quickly. Maybe it’s just me, but I believe it’ll change on a second viewing. Though where things leave off that steps forward into what potential sequels lead off, it excites me, yet might leave me conflicted in hoping it wasn’t retreading certain storylines we’ve already seen. 

Overall, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is an entertaining but imperfect addition to the franchise. It has the potential to achieve the success of its predecessors and could be the beginning of something astounding. Unsurprisingly, it came through from a visual perspective and provided an outstanding performance from Owen Teague. Even when this installment isn’t as great as I hoped, it is a worthy blockbuster to jump back into. 

Score: 7/10

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Release Date: May 10, 2024

Runtime: 145 Minutes

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action

Distributions: 20th Century Studios