Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The Planet of the Apes saga returns with a new trilogy. Review guaranteed without spoilers.

Originally, Planet of the Apes is a dystopian novel by Pierre Boulle from 1963. Three men explore a distant planet similar to Earth, where apes dominate the human species, reduced to an animal state. The book was adapted for the first time in 1968. Four other more or less successful film adaptations followed. In 2001, Tim Burton readapted the original novel. Then from 2011 to 2017, Matt Reeves directed a trilogy which tells the beginning: how the apes led by Caesar managed to take power. The last opus ended with the death of Caesar. Humans were losing the use of their vocal cords. This trilogy has set the bar very high in terms of storyline and production.

Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom begins three hundred years later. Monkeys still rule the world. Humans are reduced to savagery. The film centers on Noa, a young chimpanzee whose tribe lives peacefully in the jungle, raising birds of prey. When his village is destroyed and his clan taken into slavery by the tyrant Proximus, he sets out to find them. It's the start of an initiatory journey, with Raka, a philosophical orangutan, and a young wild human Mae (Freya Allan).

The production was entrusted to Wes Ball, director of the Labyrinth trilogy. A fan of the first film, he draws his inspiration from it. The film explores, like the original film, the themes of racism and religion, but also that of the power that knowledge brings and how it transforms you. The screenwriters reverse antropomorphism. They adopt Noa's point of view, which considers humans to be pests, without intelligence and who smell bad.

Visually, the film benefits from advances in special effects. The VFX have designed impressive settings where nature has taken over the remains of human civilization. Motion capture techniques have continued to progress, bringing highly expressive ape characters to life. The actor Andy Serkis, who played Caesar in the previous trilogy, also advised and guided the new actors for Motion Capture. Alain Gauthier, former gymnast and Cirque du Soleil artist, trained the actors for eight weeks for the postures. The result is successful.
The film is slow to start. Its duration of 2h25 could have been reduced. But Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom is a continuation of the previous opuses, through its narration, its philosophical questions, its visual beauty.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Directed by Wes Ball
Written by Josh Friedman
Based on Characters by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Premise from Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle
Produced by Wes Ball, Joe Hartwick Jr., Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Jason T. Reed
Starring Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy
Cinematography : Gyula Pados
Edited by Dan Zimmerman
Music by John Paesano
Production companies : Oddball Entertainment, Jason T. Reed Productions
Distributed by 20th Century Studios
Release date : May 8, 2024 (France), May 10, 2024 (United States),
Running time : 145 minutes

Seen May 6, 2024 at Pathé Beaugrenelle, Dolby Cinéma room

Sabine's Mark:

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes signifies a profound evolution within the enduring Planet of the Apes franchise, positioning its story several centuries into a future where humanity's remnants fade into myth and apes dominate a post-apocalyptic world. This installment, directed by Wes Ball—known for his work on The Maze Runner series—navigates a delicate balance, acting as both a sequel and a genesis for potential future narratives, deeply entrenched in the mythos established by its predecessors.

The narrative thrust of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set long after the legendary ape leader Caesar’s era, whose revolutionary teachings have transcended generations, becoming a religious-like foundation for the fragmented societies of apes. The film centers on a young chimpanzee named Noa, portrayed by Owen Teague, a member of the peaceful Eagle Clan who finds his life upturned by the arrival of Proximus Caesar, a tyrannical warlord played by Kevin Durand. Proximus Caesar's ambition is to unify or subdue all ape tribes under his rule, employing both charisma and cruelty.

Director Wes Ball takes a considered approach to this vast narrative landscape, spending considerable screen time on world-building. This methodical pacing allows for a deeper exploration of how ape societies have diverged and evolved in the post-human world. Each tribe’s interpretation of Caesar’s legacy becomes a mirror reflecting their values and fears, setting the stage for a complex interplay of politics and power.

The character of Noa is particularly well-crafted, embodying the archetypical hero thrust into chaos, who must navigate his path between peace and conflict. Owen Teague delivers a nuanced performance, capturing Noa's transformation from innocence to a leader shaped by the harsh realities of his world. His journey is marked by alliances and betrayals, most notably with Raka, an orangutan played by Peter Macon, who represents the old peaceful doctrines of Caesar, and Mae, a mysterious human played by Freya Allan, whose presence challenges Noa’s perceptions of humans and their place in this new world order.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes also excels visually; the advancements in motion-capture technology are prominently displayed, creating apes that are not only visually striking but capable of conveying a wide range of subtle emotions. This technological prowess is complemented by the apocalyptic settings—overgrown cities and crumbling monuments—that serve as poignant reminders of humanity’s hubris and nature's enduring reclaim.

However, the film does not shy away from action, delivering several well-crafted set pieces that highlight the physicality and intelligence of its ape protagonists. These sequences blend seamlessly with the narrative, adding excitement without overshadowing the story’s deeper themes.

Despite its many strengths, the film occasionally struggles with pacing and a certain presupposition of the audience’s familiarity with the previous films' events. This could potentially alienate newcomers who are not as well-versed in the franchise's rich history.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a thoughtful and ambitious continuation of the Planet of the Apes saga. It successfully expands the narrative scope and explores complex themes of leadership, legacy, and cultural memory through the lens of its non-human societies. Wes Ball has crafted a film that is not only a significant chapter in the franchise but also a standalone epic that challenges the boundaries of science fiction storytelling. Whether you are a long-time fan or a newcomer to the series, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes offers a compelling tale of power, identity, and survival in a world where the lines between history and legend blur.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Directed by Wes Ball
Written by Josh Friedman
Based on Characters by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Premise from Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle
Produced by Wes Ball, Joe Hartwick Jr., Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Jason T. Reed
Starring  Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy
Cinematography : Gyula Pados
Edited by Dan Zimmerman
Music by John Paesano
Production companies : Oddball Entertainment, Jason T. Reed Productions
Distributed by 20th Century Studios
Release date : May 8, 2024 (France), May 10, 2024 (United States), 
Running time : 145 minutes

Viewed May 10, 2024 at Gaumont Disney Village, Imax Room seat E19

Mulder's Mark: