Caesar’s Legacy Evolves: Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Forges A New Chapter!

INTRODUCTION

The scene with a scared Mae hiding in the tall grass is shot in the same way as the scene of a scared Taylor hiding from the gorilla hunters in the 1968 film. She even runs up a log to avoid the gorillas as Taylor did. This is a fact you will know if you watched the first Planet of Apes movie.

The latest installment in the Planet of the Apes saga, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” hit theaters in May 2024. Directed by Wes Ball (“Maze Runner” trilogy) and written by Josh Friedman (“War of the Worlds”), the film takes place centuries after the events of “War for the Planet of the Apes” (2017).

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” marks the fourth film in the franchise reboot and the tenth overall.

This sci-fi action film stars Owen Teague as Noa, a young chimpanzee, alongside Freya Allan (“The Witcher”). Their journey together will determine the fate of both apes and humans in a changed world.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action. It runs for over 2 hours and it’s available in cinemas near you.

WHAT IS KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES ABOUT?

Generations after Caesar’s passing, the world has drastically changed. Apes have evolved into sophisticated clans, and humans have devolved into wild scavengers.

Now, Noa, a spirited chimpanzee from an ape clan with a unique twist—they practice falconry. Noa prepares for his coming-of-age ceremony by collecting eagle eggs with his friends Anaya and Soona. This takes a thrilling turn. An encounter with a human scavenger goes awry, leading to a cracked egg and a desperate search for a replacement.

This pushes Noa into a whirlwind of danger and discovery. While hunting for a new egg, Noa stumbles upon a band of ape raiders wielding electric weapons—this terrifying sight forces him into hiding. The raiders, led by Sylva, trail Noa’s horse back to his village, and you know this smells of destruction. 

Sylva kills Noa’s father and sends Noa plummeting from a high platform, leaving him for dead.

But Noa’s story is far from over. Waking up to find his clan abducted, Noa vows to rescue them. Joined by the wise orangutan Raka, who shares the teachings of Caesar, Noa sets off on a perilous journey. Their path crosses again with the human scavenger, whom Raka compassionately names Nova, offering her food and a blanket.

As they kept moving, they were ambushed by Sylva’s raiders once more. Nova, now revealed as Mae, surprises them with her ability to speak. She leaks critical information: Noa’s clan has been taken to a beachfront settlement near an ancient human vault. Their journey here is filled with danger, including an ambush on a bridge that nearly drowns Mae, saved only by Raka’s heroics, who is then lost to the rapids.

Captured and brought to the settlement, Noa reunites with his clan under the rule of Proximus Caesar, a tyrant who seeks the secrets of the old human technology locked in the vault. Proximus, intrigued by Noa’s intelligence, tries to recruit him, warning that Mae might not be as trustworthy as she seems.

Noa confronts Mae. She reveals the existence of a mysterious “book” within the vault, capable of restoring human speech—a discovery that could change everything. With a plan, Noa, Mae, Soona, and Anaya plant explosives around the settlement’s levee, aiming to cross Proximus and free their clans.

Tension rises to a boiling point when Trevathan, a human prisoner who has aligned with Proximus, catches them. Mae kills Trevathan to protect their mission which leads to more twists, drama, adventure. So…buckle up.

MY THOUGHTS ON KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes exceeded my expectations. It’s a worthy successor to the Apes reboot trilogy, offering a fresh story set in a captivating new era dominated by apes. 

Usually, when they start milking series like this, they come out bad, but with the amazing cinematography and great acting, it more than succeeded. Some movies just deserve to be watched on a big screen, and this is one of them. The movie had me intrigued, and interested in the storyline unlike a lot of other movies I’ve seen this year. I’m looking forward to what they will come up with after this, and I can assure you that I will be watching no matter what.

While some might criticize it for not reaching the emotional heights of the previous films, it delivers a thrilling adventure with compelling characters and stunning visuals.

CHARACTERS DEVELOPMENT.

The film introduces us to Noah, a chimpanzee wanting  to adventure beyond his peaceful life. Owen Teague portrays Noah’s growth from a naive newcomer to a determined leader with nuance. Rama, a wise and mysterious primate, played with passion by Peter Macon. Freya Allan shines as Mae, a human with an intriguing connection to the past. The villian, Proxima Caesar, is a formidable ape leader, but some viewers might find his motivations less complex compared to Koba from the previous trilogy.

Following up on Caesar was always going to be difficult, he was a beloved character and we got to see his whole journey. The new lead character Noah is good, however, I didn’t find myself super captivated by him. We got to see Caesar’s full character arc, birth to death; while Noah is already a little older, coming-of-age age. His story is still interesting though.

Unlike the original five movies, where each sequel was originally unplanned, this is a new “chapter one”, taking the time to introduce some elements, characters that will feature in the upcoming sequels. 

VISUAL DESIGN AND CINEMATOGRAPHY.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes boasts breathtaking visuals. The CGI seamlessly blends with the live-action, creating a believable world where Apes have become the dominant species. The transformation of metropolitan cities into overgrown forests is a sight to behold. The cinematography is equally impressive, capturing the vast landscapes and the intensity of action sequences.

The visual effects are still incredible, both as a technical and artistic achievement. The first 45 minutes of the film are really solid. There’s a lot of good visual storytelling in the opening act. 

WRITING STYLE AND STORY.

The story takes place many generations after Caesar’s era. Ape society is divided, with some clinging to Caesar’s ideals and others embracing a more militant approach. 

Over and over it evokes the sense of wonder of the original handful, with plenty of specific visual, musical, and thematic evocations. There are recognizable influences from the 1970s TV show and even some of the Apes comic book stories of that era. But, it is also unmistakably a post-Lord of the Rings epic, the influence showing up in how various action and travel sequences have been shot.

The main antagonist could have been great. The idea of a cult-like warlord obsessed with human history, there’s so much they could have done with that idea. But he simply doesn’t have enough scenes to make him anything more than Koba Part II. And Koba had better motivations and more complexity. None of the characters here are as well written as the previous trilogy and the last 10 minutes feel more like a TV finale than a movie.

THEMES.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes explores themes that resonate with modern audiences. The conflict between Apes reflects real-world struggles for power and ideology. The introduction of a human character raises questions about coexistence and prejudice. The film also explores the importance of historical knowledge and the dangers of misinterpreting teachings.

It uses state-of-the-art special effects to wittily investigate contemporary questions of ethics, humanity, status, and prejudice while distracting the popcorn crowd with an engrossing adventure of exploration, captivity, and escape in a make-believe world that, in what is a strong science fiction tradition, is recognizably a few “what if?”‘s away from our own.

AUDIENCE COMMENTS.

CONCLUSION.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a thrilling addition to the Planet of the Apes franchise. While it might not surpass the emotional depth of the previous trilogy, it delivers a captivating story with stunning visuals and well-developed characters. It leaves the door open for future sequels, making it a must-watch for fans and newcomers alike.

While the film’s length and the extensive world-building sometimes made it feel a bit slow, every scene served a purpose in the end, especially considering this’s setting the stage for a new era in the Planet of the Apes movies. We get to see how the environment, the Apes, and the humans have evolved. I liked how the movie paid homage to Caesar without directly continuing his story; his legacy felt respectfully acknowledged. He had a good run and his story was complete.

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