Cook review: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ rules with action
Action, drama, wonderfully developed characters and an ending that guarantees there could be more of the same … what more could you want from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?”
If you count the 1968 “Planet of the Apes” with Charlton Heston, there are now 10 films set in this universe. You certainly can see this without enjoying prior offerings. At least for this latest series, I highly recommend getting caught up before you see this one, because its characters and situations all hinge on what came before.
Caesar once was the leader of the apes. Now he is gone, and the world has evolved – or devolved – since his death. Noa (Owen Teague, “It,”) lives in a village with other apes who speak.
The apes live peacefully until, one day, invaders on horseback ride in and decimate the village, taking all survivors prisoner.
Noa, who ends up on his own, makes the acquaintance of an orangutan, Raka (Peter Macon) who teaches Noa about Caesar’s beliefs. The leader of the invading army is Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand,) who utters the same words Caesar did but twists them to match his own agenda.
Noa also meets Mae (Freya Allan,) a human, who joins Noa and Raka in their journey to the home of Proximus.
There’s one other human at the settlement: William H. Macy plays a man who assists the apes, who have not yet learned to read books. I like the way his character philosophizes that nothing will change, so he might as well settle into his role as a teacher in a comfortable home full of books.
The CGI is nearly seamless, the characters are realistic and relatable, the action almost nonstop, and surprises abound. Also, I saw in on an IMAX screen, and enjoyed being immersed in this world.
It’s one of the finest of the “Apes” films.
3 ½ stars
Running time: Two hours and 25 minutes.
Rated: PG-13 for violence.
In theaters.
Watch the trailer here.
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