“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” opens with a poignant scene: Caesar lies fallen, mourned by his grieving chimp community. The story then takes a swift leap, whisking us through the lush jungle and across vast stretches of time to generations later, when a new ape society has emerged, but a familiar struggle for power threatens their fragile peace.
Here, the focus of the story shifts from the plight of Caesar to young Noa (Owen Teague), who possesses many Caesar-like qualities. Having grown up in the Eagle Clan, a collection of highly intelligent and evolved apes, Noa proves himself brave, displaying daredevil traits as a trapeze artist and demonstrating skill in hunting. However, when he encounters a pack of deadly (armed) pales led by a gorilla on horseback who destroys the village, Noa finds himself alone.
Survival becomes Noa’s primary focus. He’s tested and eventually discovers a seaside empire of apes ruling a strip of land. In this new community, Noa connects with an old and wise orangutan named Raka (Peter Macon), who still upholds the teachings of Caesar. Noa also encounters a human child (Freya Allan), wild and far from innocent in appearance.
Their unlikely alliance forged, Noa, the wild child, and Raka face a new challenge: Noa is ripped away from his newfound companions and thrust into the heart of the ape kingdom. There, he comes face-to-face with the fearsome cult leader, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), a power-hungry ape who has seized control but lacks the moral compass of his namesake.
Proximus takes a keen interest in the captive Noa. Reunited with his mother and friends, a determined Noa hatches a plan to overthrow the tyrannical leader from within.
Although human civilization lies in ruins, the apes remain obsessed with remnants of its technology. The ape kingdom revolves around a mysterious silo containing advanced technology and weapons. Proximus, in a display of barbaric cruelty, sacrifices a handful of his own apes daily in a desperate attempt to electroshock the door open.
Kevin Durand delivers a chilling performance as Proximus. The supporting cast is equally impressive, featuring Sarah Wiseman as Noa’s resolute mother, Peter Macon as the wise Raka, and William H. Macy as a resourceful scavenger thriving in the ape society.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” encompasses all necessary elements to become a new classic. The central question posed is whether the human race will survive and thrive. The continuing franchise is smartly set up to provide an answer.
Intelligent and high-quality filmmaking from top to bottom invites viewers to embrace the drama of apes fighting apes. By the end, in what serves as a teaser for the next sequel, it appears the franchise’s exaggerated portrayal of the human race will return. This alone could be enough to make audiences anticipate the escape from the planet of the apes.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is a 20th Century Studios release from Jason T. Reed Productions. Directed by Wes Ball. Screenplay by Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison. Starring Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy, Travis Jeffery, Lydia Peckham, and Neil Sandilands.