MOVIE OF THE WEEK (5/10/24): KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

"OK, one of us forgot our deodorant, which is a shame because we all could use a bath at this point!" Ambitious Eagle Clan survivor Noah (voiced by Owen Teague) and Raka (voiced by Peter Macon, far right) find themselves making a dangerous journey alongside their newfound human companion Mae (Freya Allen) in a scene from director Wes Ball's KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Credit: ©2024 Twentieth Century Studios. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

KEY CAST MEMBERS:  Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, Travis Jeffrey, Lydia Peckham and William H. Macy

DIRECTOR: Wes Ball

THE BACK STORY:  Taking place several generations after the rule of Caesar, the ape who would lead his species to prominence once a man-made virus gives primates intellect while rendering humanity speechless, we are introduced to Noah (Owen Teague). A member of the Eagle Clan, Noah – along with his friends Anaya (Travis Jeffrey) and Soona (Lydia Peckham) – is looking to graduate into adulthood by completing a ritual of their clan: Grabbing a young eagle egg from a nest to raise as their own. 

What Noah doesn't know or suspect, however, is that the blanket that is taken from his horse will end up changing his entire clan's fate forever. For once an elder warrior goes out to investigate, a warrior clan acting under the order of Proximus (Kevin Durand) is set to devastate anything in their path. Worse yet, the clan has the audacity to yell "For Caesar!" who has risen to mythical status ... Even if his ideals are no longer being followed by Proximus or any of those under his rule.

As fate would have it, Proximus' grand designs for the future lead to a life-altering experience for the Eagle Clan, leaving Noah out on a path seeking revenge. Along the way, he will encounter an orangutan who knows the true nature of Caesar in the friendly Raka (Peter Macon) ... But perhaps most surprising will come when he runs into an "echo" – or "Nova" as Raka calls them – in the form of Mae (Freya Allen). While at first scared, Mae reveals a secret in a startling fashion that will also rock Noah's world.

But what awaits them as the face their destiny could alter the future for apes and humans forever ... 

THE REVIEW: The detailed, evolving (pun intended) story has been one of if not the best aspects of the Planet of the Apes franchise since it was rebooted in 2011. KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES continues that tradition, exploring the ideas of legends versus reality, power versus purpose and – as if ripped from today's headlines – the idea of being able to coexist with others different from us in every way save for wanting the same thing: A peaceful way of life for those whom we care about.

For a film with essentially only two meaningful humans on screen, KINGDOM makes the most of its ape acing core to build upon the previous installments of the film while setting a meaningful stage for the next installment. Superhero film directors could learn a lot from Ball and his team with their work on KINGDOM, the effects making the old Charlton Heston films feel as dated as the acting within them.

Whereas Proximus and the idea of more is an easily relatable theme, his warning to Noah feels as true as it is sad when posted up against today's political climate. Whereas trust can be weaponized for the advancement of one group versus another, KINGDOM also shows (albeit with a significant amount of blatant foreshadowing) what earned trust can be worth, why violence isn't the answer and how man – or in this case, man and ape – often get in their own way of finding the way of life they wish to live. If there are criticisms to be had, it might be in the form of pacing (the first 30-40 minutes feel way longer than they are) and possibly the way in which William H. Macy's character comes across as necessary yet one note. 

Those minor issues notwithstanding, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES achieves what it sets out to dow what so many have tried over the course of humanity: Remember that the word "humanity" includes the word "human," even if it takes a bunch of apes to remind us of the best and worse of us as a species.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):