Director: Wes Ball
Cast: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy
In the world of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, it’s been 300 years since Caesar, the chimp who sparked the uprising against humans, died in a big fight. Now, apes reign supreme, while humans scavenge silently in the shadows. Like any civilization, the apes grapple with familiar challenges – some vie for power, while others seek a peaceful existence.
Among the chimpanzees of the Eagle Clan, a coming-of-age ritual awaited. Noa (Owen Teague), his heart aflutter for Soona (Lydia Peckham), and their friend Anaya (Travis Jeffery) set out on a daring quest: to secure eagle eggs. After a perilous climb, they claimed their prize.
But elation turned to unease as they spotted a lurking human figure. Catastrophe struck when Noa’s egg tumbled, shattering. Determined, he raced back for another. Returning, he was met by a horrifying sight – his village engulfed in flames.
The village falls victim to an assault led by apes under the command of Proximus Caesar, a bonobo with ambitions of accelerating evolution, uncovering human technology, and seizing control of the world. Noa’s father, Koro (Neil Sandilands), the clan chief, tragically loses his life in the attack.
Meanwhile, his mother, Dar, along with Soona and Anaya, are captured by the invaders. Noa solemnly pledges to his deceased father that he will rescue his family, standing over Koro’s lifeless body.
In this story, a group of warriors harms the peaceful Eagle Clan’s monkeys. This clan is tight-knit and they raise birds of prey. The main character, Noa, and his friends steal eagle eggs for a tradition where they’ll bond with the hatched chicks. They always leave one egg behind.
However, Noa discovers a strange blanket and brings it home, unknowingly attracting a group of apes who attack and burn down his village. These apes are actually after the blanket’s owner, Mae, a young human scavenger. Noa and Mae then embark on separate journeys to find their communities.
Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, Noa begins to unravel the truths about his past that he had previously accepted without question. Along his path, he forms alliances with two companions: the sagacious orangutan Raka and a determined human girl named Mae, each with their own agendas.
Although the majority of humans do not speak, there are exceptions, such as Trevathan, portrayed by William H. Macy. Trevathan has switched sides, now serving as an educator to Proximus, imparting knowledge of Roman history.
The latest addition to the Planet of the Apes series is incredibly realistic. The digital fur and intricate skin textures on the characters are so well-done that it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that they’re computer-generated. There are moments where we’re fully immersed, feeling the warmth of ape hugs, the coolness of dampness, and the sharpness of their injuries as if they were real.
It’s imperative that we deeply immerse ourselves in the lives of these simian characters and their inherent “humanity,” as it’s frequently the humans who emerge as the enigmatic, menacing figures concealed in the shadows within these narratives.
When it comes to handling lore, Kingdom takes a refreshingly different approach compared to many sequels in long-established franchises. While films like Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire bank heavily on nostalgia, practically waving their franchise history in your face, Kingdom doesn’t just assume its lore’s importance. Instead, it delves into its own mythology, weaving it intricately into the narrative.
Unlike some franchises that use Easter eggs as cheap tricks to appease die-hard fans, Kingdom embraces its lore as a living, breathing entity. The apes of the Eagle Clan may be oblivious to their species’ past, but others manipulate history to suit their agendas. And even though humans have lost their spot as Earth’s top dogs, their story might not be over just yet.