Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which opened to a predicted $145 million worldwide gross and excellent reviews, lays the stage for a spectacular return of the Apes franchise.
Picking up from where Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves left off with their reboot trilogy culminating in War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), Ball unfolds the narrative, commencing with the solemn funeral of Caesar (played by Andy Serkis) before propelling us centuries forward into a time where Caesar’s legacy has become legendary.
Wes Ball, the director behind the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, after his triumphant run with the ‘Maze Runner’ trilogy, is now contemplating the future of the franchise. Will there be more ‘Apes’, a potential leap into a ‘Legend of Zelda movie, or perhaps both on his directorial horizon?
In this dystopian future, civilization has crumbled, culture has faded into obscurity, and humanity has regressed into primitive, speechless beings. And where else to capture this desolate landscape but in the vast expanses of Australia?
Filmed both at Disney Studios in Sydney and amidst the rugged terrains of New South Wales, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes serves as a sequel to the 2011–2017 simian trilogy, set generations after the reign of the esteemed chimp-leader, Caesar (Andy Serkis, taking a well-earned hiatus from this latest chapter).
Now, Earth is dominated by apes organized into regional factions. Primitive settlements reminiscent of those from the original 1968 film dot the landscape, while the remnants of human civilization lie in ruins, reclaimed by nature, with their once-proud legacy and advanced technology fading into distant memory, preserved only by the eldest among the apes — guardians of a clandestine knowledge that could jeopardize their newfound supremacy.
The few remaining humans skulk in the shadows, reduced to mute scavengers known by the apes as “the echo.”
But this is far from a utopia. Our protagonist, Noa (portrayed by Owen Teague), embarks on a journey of vengeance when his tranquil village is razed by marauding gorillas, led by the ruthless Proximus Caesar (played by Kevin Durand), a power-hungry chimp determined to unify the clans, assert dominion over the planet, and eradicate any trace of humanity.
Thus unfolds a tale of retribution as Noa traverses the wilderness, aided by the sagacious orangutan Raka (embodied by Peter Macon in a performance brimming with warmth and humor), an ancient sage longing for harmony between humans and apes, lamenting the bloodshed perpetrated in Caesar’s name.
Accompanying them is a wild human girl (portrayed by Freya Allan of TV’s The Witcher), who exudes an untamed aura — much to the chagrin of Noa and Raka.
“We shall name her Nova,” declares Raka. “Nova it shall be. I cannot fathom why.”
In this somber yet earnest blockbuster with a budget of $165 million, spontaneity is a rarity, meticulously planned months prior to filming, thanks to the precision of motion-capture technology. While Weta FX’s mastery shines through, the absence of Serkis and his dynamic performance leaves a void that the new installment struggles to fill.
Despite Wes Ball’s competent direction, Kingdom finds its stride in its climactic act, as our protagonists are ensnared and brought before Proximus in a derelict vessel, where he has enslaved his brethren in a bid to unearth a hidden cache of human technology. (William H. Macy makes a curious appearance as a human who has aligned himself with the apes; one can only wonder what compelled him to join the fray.)
Proximus may be misguided in his methods, but his ambitions are understandable, given humanity’s checkered past. Yet, what they uncover does little to sway his resolve.
Nevertheless, these revelations pale in comparison to the audacious twists of the original series, which propelled the narrative into realms of unparalleled imagination, from planetary annihilation to time-traveling simians. The newer iterations, however, adhere to a more conventional trajectory, traversing a path already trodden by the audience, while the biting social commentary of the originals gives way to a conventional hero’s journey.
The series’ departure from its peculiar charm is palpable; there was a certain delight in witnessing the hammy performances of actors beneath ape prosthetics, adding a layer of whimsy and uncanniness to the narrative.
One of the series’ shortcomings lies in its reluctance to fully vilify humanity, despite ample evidence of its folly, resulting in yet another installment that attempts to straddle the line, fostering a hope for coexistence that feels out of place in a franchise rooted in bitter satire.
Though Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes boasts its moments, its inclination towards neutrality feels like a betrayal of the series’ acerbic, satirical origins.