Film Review - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
I hate every chimp I see; from chimpan-A to chimpan-ZEE!
Little did we anticipate that 2024 would reveal itself as the true year of the monkey. From the electrified pageantry of Dev Patel’s Monkey Man to the epic team-up of Godzilla and King Kong for this year’s ultimate buddy cop film – we’ve truly been spoiled for unrestrained primate themed content. Now, a new contender emerges from the mist. But does it deliver? And does it measure up to the standards set by 'The Best Gorilla Joke of 1897*’ all those years ago? Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes is a stunning exhibition of CGI brilliance, unfortunately restrained by a clunky narrative which pales beyond the spectacle of realistic Simian composition.
Set roughly 300 years after the events of the last film, apes have arisen to become the dominant species whilst the few humans who remain dwell in obscurity, having regressed to a primitive state in the wake of a devastating pandemic. Caesar’s legacy lingers many generations later, but his teachings have become bastardised by different primate factions for nefarious purposes. Amidst the ascent of a tyrannical bonobo monarch, a young chimpanzee embarks on a perilous odyssey that challenges his understanding of history and shapes the destinies of both apes and humans alike.
To say that this film is a masterclass of exemplary visual effects prowess would be such a colossal understatement – this film is stunning to look at. The lush savannahs intricately weaving amongst the husks of skeletonised city skylines highlights a meticulousness in its presentation which completely envelops you. On top of that, the primate performances (that’s certainly a sentence which now exists) are stellar, with each performer bringing considerable depth whilst fully embracing their roles.
However, despite the technological mastery – Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes struggles to match storytelling on par with its visual strengths. It delves into some deeper themes and offers some insight into societal power dynamics, the weaponisation of theistic doctrine, and the moral dilemma of co-existence. But despite such conceptual complexity, there are points which feel particularly gruelling to get through – especially considering the bloated two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Maybe as we’re at the crux of a new franchise, future entries might flesh out themes which were merely teased just below surface level. Until then however, we’re left with a lot of promising thematic elements peppered within a pretty stock standard monomythic premise.
So, in this vast kingdom, where do we stand? Well, thankfully, in a pretty good place. Long-time fans of the franchise will be happy to know that Kingdom serves as a serviceable yet clunky inaugural instalment for a new trilogy – teasing a slew of new concepts which will undoubtedly enrich the mythos of this long standing series in the future. Whilst it ultimately emphasises substance over story, it’s an adequate exercise in franchise expansion.
*The Best Gorilla Joke of 1897*
Gorilla: Did you hear about the gorilla who escaped from the zoo?
Zookeeper: No, I did not.
Gorilla: That is because I am a quiet gorilla.
[Muffled sounds of gorilla violence]
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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is screening in cinemas from Thursday the 9th of May. For tickets and more info, click here.