IN Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, director Wes Ball (known for The Maze Runner trilogy) 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.
Our resident film buffs Tom and Stefan went to check this movie out.
Tom Parry: It’s such a delight to be back talking movies. And on this occasion, we’re talking about a sequel to a reboot of a classic franchise. I can remember watching Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes (2001 reboot) with my dad and not enjoying it, but neither hating it as other people did. I returned to the franchise when Rise of the Planet of the Apes came to theatres in 2011 – I’ve been a fan of the franchise ever since.
Stefan Bradley: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place hundreds of years after the recent reboot trilogy (subtitled Rise, Dawn and War respectively). I think it’s one of the best film series out there right now, with War for the Planet of the Apes in particular a five-star movie for me. I was expecting franchise fatigue going into Kingdom, but I’m pleased to say it’s a very enjoyable science-fiction blockbuster, even if it doesn’t quite hit the highs of its predecessor. The plot, the themes, the performances, the visuals, the world-building, the action, are all thoroughly entertaining!
TP: I was very impressed by Kingdom, and like you, did not have high expectations. Instead, I walked away thinking it’s on-par with 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which is my favourite instalment of the rebooted trilogy. It’s just a phenomenal film. Yes it’s lengthy, but the pace didn’t bother me at all. The screenplay follows some familiar beats and is somewhat predictable, so that’s probably the weakest element of the film. But that’s not to say the script is bad – it’s the weakest part, simply because the rest of the movie is so damn good! The religious allegories are particularly strong, as with the Apes films of the 60s and 70s, and as a fan of the original Planet of the Apes, it did please me to see them. There’s even some great callbacks to that same film.
SB: I thought early on the pace was a bit slow, but as the story unravels you understand why, but as the story unravels, you understand why those scenes matter. That first act in particular was predictable, but there was a surprising amount of mystery in this movie, and that ending subverted my expectations and was very satisfying. All the new characters, including the protagonist Noa and supports such as the hilarious Raka, the human Mei and villain Proximus were well-written and engaging. The movie doesn’t feel beholden to the last trilogy, but it still pays tribute to those events that feels like its own thing. It feels more like a fantasy adventure compared to its predecessors, as the viewer rediscovers this world.
TP: The visual effects are a step-up on the Matt Reeves-helmed films – and remember, the visual effects in that movie were really, really good! I also very much liked the characters, they had a lot of personality; and the action sequences were incredible – I was finding myself awed by primates swinging across vines and pipes as they engage in fisticuffs!
SB: This film’s director, Wes Ball, has been tapped to direct the upcoming live-action adaptation of the The Legend of Zelda video game franchise, and he must be under intense pressure from diehard fans like myself. My biggest compliment to Kingdom is that before seeing it, I was extremely sceptical about Ball as the choice to take on Zelda, but after seeing it now, I’m nowhere near as nervous.
TP: It’s a similar trajectory, almost, to Matt Reeves, who went on to direct 2022’s The Batman (which we both enjoyed) after directing his two Apes movies. I can see Wes Ball becoming Hollywood’s go-to blockbuster guy – his direction is fantastic, and I’d be more than happy if he took control of every future Apes instalment, or indeed every other blockbuster that comes out after this.
