KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Starring: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, and William H. Macy
Director: Wes Ball
NICK
Although director Rupert Wyatt started it, it was director Matt Reeves that cemented the most recent Planet of the Apes trilogy as something special. So with Wes Ball - who has only directed the Maze Runner trilogy - attempting to fill those shoes, I was reasonably trepidatious. That said, Ball has made a film I believe both directors would be proud of. He has not only maintained the look of the previous entries, but he also manages to keep Reeves’ darkness while adding religious themes to the mix. I was curious how this story continued without Caesar, but Ball has delivered an exciting pathway for additional chapters.
ADRIANO
Look, there was no world where Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes would live up to the previous two entries because there is just too wide of a difference between directors Matt Reeves and Wes Ball for comfort. That said, while there’s a noticeable narrative and visual downgrade, I gotta say…I was really into this movie. There certainly needed to be some trimming, but the emotional depth and world-building are still intact, and it offers fascinating philosophical inquiries into the lore of what the previous films set up. I was more than happy to be proven wrong, and I'm excited for what's next.
AMARÚ
The one “issue” I have with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is that it’s too glossy. That said, with the only downside being a visual comparison to the overwhelmingly looming legacy of its predecessors, I’m extremely happy with Kingdom. Director Wes Ball took his time to endear us to new characters, and while the pacing slows to that of an exposition-filled franchise starter, it lets us breathe in the re-introduction to this world, never becoming a bore. That care allows us to appreciate the visceral action, deeply feel the thrilling drama, and be intrigued to explore more of Ball’s take on this well-established franchise.
QUENTIN
Considering the Apes trilogy ended perfectly, meaning nobody was asking for another one, and director Wes Ball is no Matt Reeves, I went into Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes with fairly low expectations. Surprisingly, though, Kingdom is a worthy entry to the franchise and a solid start for new Apes stories. It's not flawless, making some questionable leaps in logic and lacking Caesar’s (Andy Serkis) soulfulness, but the action, world-building, beautiful CGI, and performances successfully deliver the thrills and emotional beats that made the first three movies so damn underrated. I’m happy to have been proven wrong with this one.
CALEB
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is simultaneously impressive and disappointing. I wasn’t sure franchise newcomer Wes Ball would be able to maintain the high bar set by Dawn and War, but his direction demonstrated a firm understanding of the motion-capture performances and special effects wizardry needed to pull off a project like this. Unfortunately, his talents are in service of a script that fails to explore its themes of corruption and legacy in any impactful ways. Kingdom isn’t the franchise's best, but even a weaker Apes entry is impressive enough to put most other blockbusters to shame.
PRESTON
I have not been a fanboy of the previous Apes installments, outings, or trilogies; Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes isn’t a mind changer. Without significant buy-in to the “universe,” it is hard to imagine a casual viewer caught riveted by the lengthy two-and-a-half-hour investment, which is essentially just a setup for whatever films are to follow. Setting aside my own pet peeves regarding conflicting strength, intelligence, and physics realities set within a world that they created, there is still little human involvement, which makes it hard to care and results in an “ok, I guess” experience.
