KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2024) review
written by: Josh Friedman
produced by: Wes Ball, Joe Hartwick Jr., Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver & Jason T. Reed
directed by: Wes Ball
rated: PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action)
runtime: 145 min.
U.S. release date: May 10, 2024
Since 1968, the “Planet of the Apes” franchise has belonged to 20th Century Fox, and the studio’s last entry, 2017’s “War for the Planet of the Apes,” seemed like an appropriate closer to a tremendously updated trilogy with fantastic visual effects and compelling storytelling. When the Mouse (Disney) acquired Fox in 2019, though, that meant any IP from Fox (think Aliens, Predators, and Apes) was fair game for any kind of cinematic continuation. That’s why we now have “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”, the fourth feature in the new series and the tenth in the overall franchise.
Director Wes Ball, who helmed the “Maze Runner” trilogy, has stepped up to move the storyline forward, teaming with screenwriter Josh Friedman (who’s worked on James Cameron’s “Avatar” movies and is currently writing the upcoming “The Fantastic Four” movie for Marvel Studios) to tell a story that takes place “many generations” after Caesar has passed. If this is someone’s very first “Apes” movie (it’s bound to happen), that bit about Caesar isn’t a spoiler but instead touched upon in the opening few minutes of this movie. That’s important, considering Caesar’s legacy looms large throughout the entire story here.
By resetting the environment and gradually acclimating viewers to a post-apocalyptic vision of the Pacific Northwest, Bell makes the most out of the advance in time. Apes of different clans have made distinctive homes amidst locations long ago inhabited by humans. Chimpanzees have built a functioning community amid foliage that has vertically grown over skyscrapers, while bonobos have gathered along the Pacific coast. As established in the last trilogy, the apes can communicate verbally or by using sign language or a combination. The few humans we see that have survived the Simian flu have regressed into a feral state in the future.
Within the chimpanzee clan on the outskirts of Los Angeles, we meet our protagonist, Noa (Owen Teague), a young member of a peaceful clan that has learned to survive by raising and training eagles. His father, Koro (Neil Sandilands), is the leader of this Eagle Clan, and he has focused on maintaining aviaries. These birds collect food (primarily fish) and resources for them and act as protectors of the clan. All chimps have their place in this system, and each young chimp has a rite of passage.
As the movie opens, that’s precisely what young chimp Noa and his two young friends, Soona (Lydia Peckham) and Anaya (Travis Jeffery), set out to do. It becomes a perilous endeavor embraced by the risk-taking adolescent trio with gleeful abandon. Bell and cinematographer Gyula Pados (who lensed the last two “Maze Runner” movies) swirl around the chimps as they swing, reach, and slide, offering a harrowing and invigorating introduction.
It’s a little vague at first, but one gathers that this coming-of-age process requires each chimp to be responsible for the eaglet that is hatched from the egg, training them to be loyal and submissive. As Noa and his pals return to their village on horseback, we meet his supportive mother, Dar (Sarah Wiseman), and we get the idea that his father’s shadow looms large as Noa feels he hasn’t lived up to his expected potential. Perhaps Bell and Friedman spend too much time establishing the functioning community of the Eagle Clan because this first act feels a tad glacial and repetitive.
It takes a while to interrupt the tranquility, but we welcome two things. The first is when Noa spots a female human scavenger and follows her tracks into a train tunnel that leads to a forbidden area. The second is when his village is raided and torched by bonobos apes on horseback with electric prods, leaving Noa’s father dead and any survivors kidnapped. These violent apes are loyal to Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), an ambitious bonobo leader who leads a coastal clan of apes searching for human technologies. From a beached oil tanker, he’s enslaved chimps for manual labor, hoping to open a giant vault from when humans were the dominant species. He has a vision of leading a kingdom of apes and preaches an altered version of Caesar’s teachings.
After burying his father, Noa sets out on a solo adventure into the forbidden area, hoping to rescue his clan. This is where he meets Raka (Peter Macon), a kind and wise orangutan who resides in an upcycled airport terminal. They are equally surprised to see each other and decide to trust one another after they survive a dizzying attack by Proximus’ aggressive foot soldiers, led by silverback gorilla and chief commander Sylva (Eka Darville). Raka befriends Noa and helps to expand his outlook beyond the Eagle Clan, sharing that his education has led him to respect and adhere to the original Caesar’s teachings, among them is the “ape shall not kill ape” statute.
As the pair form a kinship, they soon encounter the female scavenger, who they learn has been following them. To their knowledge, she cannot speak, but they can tell she’s resourceful and observant, picking up crumbs of food that Noa has left behind along his journey. Her appearance definitely stands out in that her clothes resemble worn-down Lara Croft, which is different from the other loincloth-wearing alleged savage humans. Where exactly is she from?
Noa opts to call her Nova (a nod to previous movies in the franchise) until she tells them her name is Mae (Freya Allan), which is a jaw-dropping moment for them (and a humorous one for us) since they had no idea that humans could speak. That revelation is the first of many great moments between this trio, with Peter Macon’s Raka being a scene-stealing standout. Their interaction provides “Kingdom” with the best character moments. The three of them form a cautious alliance, relying on each other to survive, but inevitably, Noa and Mae find themselves captured and taken to the settlement ruled by Proximus.
This is where most of the story’s third act occurs, and some very interesting things are happening. Noa and Mae are separated, with Mae placed in a area of the oil rig that looks a hoarder’s loft. Housed with loads of books and old chairs and couches, this is where Mae meets an older human named Trevathan (William H. Macy). Although he started as a prisoner of Proximus – it’s unclear what group of humans he was initially with – he now fashions himself something of an opportunist, styling himself as Proximus Caesar’s chief advisor, reading the power-hungry king books (from the likes of Kurt Vonnegut) and teaching him both human history and nature.
Proximus is fascinated by the dominance humans once had on Earth and wants that for apes, albeit with him receiving all the glory. Unfortunately, he has no understanding of the trappings of human nature, like how narcissists and egomaniacs can overdose on power and wind up doing more harm than good. He claims he is loyal to Ceasar’s legacy. Still, he has twisted what Ceasar stood for (“Apes Together Strong”) for his agenda and instead enslaves apes to hard labor to open a nearby vault that he believes houses human weaponry. It’s unclear what opponent the mad king wants to arm his apes against. Is there a human threat that only he knows about?
As Proximus, Durand plays the role appropriately big, vacillating from chest-thumping before a crowd to an ominous whisper amid captured guests. There’s a scene where Proximus invites Noa to dinner because he sees Noa’s intelligence could be used to influence others and hopefully find a way to open the vault. It’s like a scene out of a Bond movie where 007 is a dinner guest of a monologuing villain. Not as good is a scene where Proximus swings outside to speak at a pep rally, bellowing to his followers and slaves, “What a Wonderful Day!” which is way too reminiscent of something out of “Mad Max: Fury Road.” It’s hard to believe that no one caught that and made some line changes. Maybe it’s a common phrase in a post-apocalyptic landscape where humans (and apes) are oppressed.
Regardless, while “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” does an excellent job at world-building with some callbacks to the recent trilogy (and even some nods to the original movies), it still feels like it’s moving into different territory with a new trilogy. With the way in which the visual effects artists at Wētā FX continue to impress, I’m on board for more “Apes.” Yes, the ending here leaves it open for future stories between apes and humans. Neither fully trusts the other, and both look at what lies ahead for their species cautiously. That sounds quite prescient, actually.
RATING: ***1/2
