Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
81% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 263 reviews)
Runtime: 145 minutes
Directed by: Wes Ball
Starring: Various motion-capture performers, Freya Allan, and a famous actor whose identity I dare not spoil
From: 20th Century Studios
I’m happy to continue the timeline where James Franco was the downfall of humanity. It’s a joke I borrowed from Twitter & I don’t loathe him like some do (him probably trying to act smarter than he actually is… that’s another story) but regardless, I’ve at least liked most of the entries in what is now a 10 film franchise that began in 1968.
Yes, I have a list where someone can read all my reviews if they so desire. It did warm my heart a little to see many mutuals all throughout May visit or revisit the entire series before Kingdom. Undoubtedly, the whole virus aspect hits closer to home now, the ending of Rise the keystone highlight of my point.
Myself, I was cautiously optimistic about Kingdom. There was trepidation as Rise was pretty good and Dawn/War were both great… but the advancement of generations plus Wes Ball filling the director’s seat previously occupied by Matt Reeves in the past two installments gave me pause. Luckily, I did not have to go bananas that Kingdom was a disappointment, as it proved to be rather delightful instead.
The story boiled to its essence was a hero’s journey following the simian Noa who beings as a young unassuming member of a clan who through circumstances encounters (among other characters) a human lady and a self-professed king who bastardizes the lore of Caesar. The movie is patient in telling its story-OK, perhaps too much so at a time or two-but I was riveted & although it blatantly set up ideas for the sequels, the self-contained story still satisfies on its own merits. A serious story where the villain’s motivations are understandable & there’s a minimal amount of humor-what jokes were present, they typically landed-is typically an asset in my enjoyment of a movie.
When I saw Dawn, the appearances of both Keri Russell (no relation) and Gary Oldman left me flabbergasted. In Kingdom, a famous actor appears and as I know others were surprised by this person’s presence, their identity won’t be spoiled. Freya Allan as the main human character was swell; the role was more complex than you would first assume. The VFX, those that continually improved since Rise 13 years ago; that world was acutely brought to life and there was no issue in believing this world, or the remnants of the decaying human world.
Good setpieces, exciting action, a nice score from John Paesano, a story that isn’t simplified for the rubes & instead makes you think a little—if you’ve been a fan of the series since at least 2011, there’s a good chance you’ll give this film high marks also as long as your expectations aren’t sky high.
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