Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Review: Intriguing, Exciting, Impressive

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes far exceeds expectations. The visuals are beyond impressive and the coming-of-age story hits on many levels.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set centuries after the reign of Caesar. It follows Noa (Owen Teague) on a coming-of-age journey as he grows and matures, putting others ahead of himself at times. It is impossible not to connect with the apes, monkeys, and chimps in this story.

The visuals are impressive and the story is intriguing and exciting. There is not only a lot of heart, humor is weaved throughout as well, making Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes a film that has something for everyone.

You Forget You Aren’t Watching Apes

There is something to be said about just how impressive the visuals in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes are. You often forget you are not watching real apes, monkeys, and chimps. The choice to motion capture each of the actors as they take on these roles, having them do physical acting as well, is what truly helps to bring this out. There is not one that audiences will not connect to in one way, shape, or form.

Freya Allen is fantastic in the human role, but she’s not the only one that feels human. Her role adds a humanity to Noa and the others in a way that is unexpected, but brilliantly done. We do not want to talk too much about it, in an effort for this review to remain spoiler free, but just know that her interaction with Noa, Raka (Peter Macon), and the rest is what makes them feel even more human.

On top of the stunning visuals, the score is written perfectly to enhance the experience of the audience and the feelings they get during the film. The cinematopgraphy is a true feat, as well. There is, simply put, a lot to love about Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

An Intriguing, Exciting Story

As for the story itself, it is intriguing and exciting. Right from the beginning the stakes feel high. Viewers will become invested in Noa and his journey. His motivations are clear. We want to be careful for fear of spoilers, but he quickly becomes the heart and soul of this film, although he is certainly surrounded by other character like Raka and Mae that audiences will fall in love with.

This is very much a coming of age story for Noa, and a very exciting one to follow at that. He is abruptly left without his family and his friends and must decide if he will just sit back, or go off to find them. Of course it is the latter, which takes us, and Noa, on an unexpected journey.

While there is certainly a lot of thrilling action and edge of your seat moments, there is much more humor than expected as well. This movie is funny. The laugh out loud moments are some of the most memorable, especially when you think about Raka. The comedic timing is impeccable.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is nearly two and a half hours long. That’s long. However, while it does feel it’s length at times, it doesn’t ever drag or slow down. On fact, some viewers will wish it was even longer as they would be happy to soak in more of this world.

It is the pacing and the way the important plot points are spread out, with some incredible action weaved throughout, that keeps things moving. Because time is taken to get to know each of the characters, audiences will surely fall in love with them. This brilliant move by Director Wes Ball is what helps viewers connect to them, and in turn makes them care about their stuggles and their journey.

Do you need to have seen the other Apes films to understand Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?

The short answer to this question is no. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes does a wonderful job of weaving in explanations of anything that has happened previously that is important to understanding the story. It is not necessary to have seen any of the previous Apes films. You can absolutely go in to this one cold, and perhaps it will have you interested in going back and watching the older films.

That being said, having seen them will certainly enhance your experience. There are Easter Eggs and references that you will understand if you have watched the other Apes films. Recognizing these are not pertinent to enjoying yourself while watching by any means, but they do add a little something.

Impressive visuals and brialliant storytelling come together to make this one of the best films of the year. Noa will steal your heart and Raka will make you laugh. See it on the biggest screen possible.

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About Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Director Wes Ball 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.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is directed by Wes Ball (the “Maze Runner” trilogy) and stars Owen Teague (“IT”), Freya Allan (“The Witcher”), Kevin Durand (“Locke & Key”), Peter Macon (“Shameless”), and William H. Macy (“Fargo”).

The screenplay is by Josh Friedman (“War of the Worlds”) and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (“Avatar: The Way of Water”) and Patrick Aison (“Prey”), based on characters created by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, and the producers are Wes Ball, Joe Hartwick, Jr., p.g.a. (“The Maze Runner”), 2 Rick Jaffa, p.g.a., Amanda Silver, p.g.a., Jason Reed, p.g.a. (“Mulan”), with Peter Chernin (the “Planet of the Apes” trilogy) and Jenno Topping (“Ford v. Ferrari”) serving as executive producers.

“KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES” will open exclusively in theaters May 10, 2024.

80%

80%

Impressive

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes far exceeds expectations. The visuals are beyond impressive and the coming-of-age story hits on many levels.

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