Entertaining 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' raises questions as it resets the stage

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
3.5 out of 5 Stars
Director: Wes Ball
Writer: Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Starring: Freya Allan, Owen Teague, Kevin Durand, Dichen Lachman
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action

Synopsis: Set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Review: I’ve always liked the Planet of the Apes franchise. I was particularly fond of the recent trilogy. The technology used was fantastic, but the real draw of the film was Andy Serkis and the depth that he was able to give Ceasar. I was among those who advocated for an Oscar nomination for his performance.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is set decades after Ceasar's reign. History has been lost to the passing of time. The apes have completely forgotten the cages they were once held in. Humankind has reverted to prehistoric behavior. Wild with limited intellect.

Noa (Owen Teague), a young ape on a rite of passage, sees his life upended when a rival clan decimated his village. His fellow tribespeople are taken as slaves. So, Noa sets out on a journey of redemption only to be sidetracked by a chance meeting with Raka (Peter Macon), an orangutang devoted to the ancient teachings of Ceasar, whose village was also plundered. And then Mae (Freya Allan), a young human, crosses their path and challenges the foundation of all that Noa has ever believed.

“Kingdom” isn’t nearly as good as the previous trilogy, but it does set the stage for a narrative that I am interested in seeing. That, however, is somewhat problematic in that it is evident that “Kingdom” is not intended as a standalone film and the bulk of the story is yet to be explored. This inevitably weakens “Kingdom.”

The action is good, the special effects are incredible, and most of the performances hit the right notes. I like Noa, but I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Mae. That’s clearly intended. Something that will be addressed somewhere down the line. If there is a down-the-line.

“Kingdom” feels less groundbreaking than its most recent predecessors, but it is slick and accomplished filmmaking courtesy of director Wes Ball. I just hope that the narrative is given the chance to answer all the questions that the final scenes raise.

I also question some of the mechanics and finer details of Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver’s script. It feels incredibly biased in the suggestion that apes would be incapable of intellectual or technological advancement. Meanwhile, somewhere underground the circular nature of power has already turned. More of the same but in reverse.

I challenged “Kingdom” to change my loyalty. Nevertheless, I’m still rooting for the apes.

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