OSCARS 2025: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

As far as recent revivals of decades old I.P.s by movie studios eager to mine a recognizable name for whatever cash they can, the modern “Planet of the Apes” films are quite well respected. The commitment to spectacular but grounded special effects and thoughtful storytelling made what I guess you'd call the “Caesar Trilogy” far better received among critics and fans than you'd expect of yet another reboot. Caesar's story, however, came to a natural end in “War for the Planet of the Apes.” Which made some leery when it was announced that Disney would be continuing forward with the series. It's not like the House That Mickey Built is known for not driving an idea well into the ground these days. Matt Reeves had received a lot of credit for making the last two movies so good and he had been replaced with the much less notable name of the guy who directed “The Maze Runner.” Perhaps succeeding against lowered expectations is a factor. Nevertheless, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” seems to have continued the “Apes” tradition of being a sci-fi blockbuster a little more character-driven and intelligent than your average CGI-fest.

Smartly, rather than attempting to directly sequelize Caesar's story, “Kingdom” is set hundreds of years after his death. In the shadows of the moss covered structures that were once a city resides a village of intelligent chimpanzees. Noa is the offspring of the chieftain of his tribe, who practice falconry and have built bonding with the birds into their society. Humans have become whispered about figures, referred to as “Echoes.” One fateful night, Noa's village is descended upon by apes wielding staffs with built-in tasers. They kill his father and capture his friends but Noa escapes. He soon meets up with Raka, a follower in Caesar's ways, and they trail a human woman. She can speak, stunning both apes. Named Mae, the female leads them to a beach where a tyrannical ape leader calling himself Proximus Caesar is using slave labor to attempt to break into a massive vault. Proximus desires the ancient weapons that are inside while Mae believes what's within can help restore the human race. Noa emerges as a leader of a slave revolt against Proximus' iron fisted reign. 

The visual effects that made a whole society of walking, talking apes in the previous three films were lauded for their realism and expressiveness. "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" uses whatever advancements in digital technology that have been made over the last few years to take the series to loftier heights. The chimps move like real animals. They have the weight and details of flesh and blood creatures. Moreover, their faces as astonishingly detailed. Noah's eyes, Raka's often smirking lips, Proximus scowling muzzle: All convey the same level of emotion you'd get out of photographed actors. The cast – smartly made up of up-and-comers and character actors willing to commit fully to physical, vocal performances that don't show their faces – certainly deserve a lot of credit. However, it's difficult not to think of the special effects crew, the artists and animators, riggers and technicians, as the real stars here. They create a cast of hominid heroes and villains that are not only realistic but also deeply compelling to watch. In that sense, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" represents a phenomenal half-way point between an animated film and a live action production. 

The incredible special effects go a long way towards creating a fictional world the viewer can get absorbed in. By setting "Kingdom" far in the future, long after the fall of mankind as the Earth's dominant species, we are thrust into a place recognizable but also fundamentally different. The visuals of skyscrapers caked in moss, becoming a new jungle for the simians to explore and swing, is certainly striking. Moreover, a lot of work went into conceptualizing a new society that feels plausible. Noa's clan have their own rituals, their own rules and traditions. The bonding with the eagles, gathering eggs that the apes care for until they hatch, resemble manhood rituals from any culture but is definitely something new in this series. Their language has evolved, a mixture of signing and repurposed phrases, such as calling humans "Echoes." The further outside his village he goes, the more glimpses Noa gets at how the apes have developed their own culture, with their own habits and religions. It brings something back to "Planet of the Apes" that the reboot series hasn't focused much on until now: The sense of being dropped into an alien, but fully formed, new world that we can get lost in as we observe how this different culture functions. The term "world-building" gets abused a lot but this is how you do it. 

I'll admit, I haven't seen any of director Wes Bell's other films. He's made animated shorts that seem to deal with a similar level of sci-fi world-building as what we see here. I hear that the "Maze Runner" movies are better than most YA adaptations. In some ways, I wonder if coming from that background didn't serve Bell here as well. A reoccurring line throughout "Kingdom" is characters referring to objects, concepts, and traditions as "important." This seems to be an acknowledgement of how the sequel employs the grand archetypes of the Campbellian Heroes' Journey. Noa is a young protagonist that emerges from unassuming roots, at first wanting nothing more than to achieve his goal of pleasing his father. He has a childhood best friend, named Soona, that he shares a somewhat romantic bond with. Circumstances beyond his control force him out of his childhood home and out into the world, where he quickly gains a wise mentor figure. To free his family and avenge his father, he comes into conflict with a would-be conqueror. Eventually, the knowledge and skills he's acquired over his journey lead him to victory, the boy-ape having grown into a man-ape without loosing the purity of spirit that got him there. Narrative short cuts like these have been used badly before. Look no further than the YA adaptations and other stillborn franchises that flooded theaters after "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter." At least for me, they totally worked here. I was immediately intrigued by Noa, excited to see him go on this journey. The film knowingly uses classical concepts – a villain after a hidden treasure, a slave rebellion out of "Spartacus" – to add a mythic quality to its world, cast, and story. 

Ball and screenwriter Josh Friedman – whose other credits also suggest this kind of thing is his specialty – are well aware of how they are invoking the most reoccurring story tropes throughout human history. The evolution of legends, beyond the lifetime of their origins, is another branch of the story. Caesar's words continue to spread long after his death. Raka is something like a monk of a sacred order that studies Caesar's teachings, attempting to follow them as closely as possible, even when he doesn't totally understand them. Proximus, meanwhile, uses the name and ideas of Caesar for his own ends. He uses the phrases and words to make compliant slaves, to make himself seem great, while only pursuing power and control for his own benefit. Living in the modern world means we are exposed to, everyday, new and disturbing ways the words of prophets century passed have been diluted, mutated, and misused to promote the power-hungry and keep the masses blinded. Yes, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" presents Caesar as a Christ-like figure, whose writings have spawned faithful practitioners and fanatical followers. It's a heady idea to insert into your talking monkey movie. 

Obviously, sneaking parallels to the modern world and social commentary into its sci-fi setting has always been standard practice for these movies. Caesar is referred to as a "Lawgiver," another of many callbacks to the original "Planet of the Apes" films. Such as John Paesano's excellent score, which recalls and builds upon the familiar motifs of Jerry Goldsmith's classic themes. The biggest way "Kingdom" honors the "Apes" legacy is by centering a big question throughout these movies: Can man and ape ever peacefully co-exist? Proximus believes mankind is too dangerous and wicked to be tolerated. Mae seems uncertain of the apes' intentions throughout. Noa and his kind are peaceful, not wanting any conflict, yet he's also aware that mankind has a history of putting other animals in cages, of using and abusing them. The use of this theme positively recalls the much maligned "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" but it suggests bigger questions too. Can other cultures ever live in harmony? Is the story of mankind one exclusively of conquest and imperialism? That extends to the natural world too, which humanity has repeatedly destroyed and exploited in their selfishness and ignorance. Is that human nature? Is a better way achievable? All of these are ideas "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'" grapples with. 

As thoughtful and patient as Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves' previous entries, while paying homage to the older films and also moving in an ambitious new direction, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is an excellent example of the kind of grand storytelling capable in a big budget, special effects movie. I liked it in theaters but, upon revisiting it, I found I loved the sequel. Bell has got a full dance card right now – including the long discussed film adaptation of the "Legend of Zelda" games, which employ a lot of the same themes seen here – but hopefully he gets to make more of these hairy adventures. Ya know, putting apes on horses and giving them pet eagles was likely to win me over no matter what but "Kingdom" actually rocks all on its own, succeeding as a sequel and a new beginning. [9/10]