The Planet of the Apes trilogy that began in 2011 was a saga that exceeded all expectations when it came to performances, special effects, and emotional resonance. Anything that followed this trilogy up would have some big shoes to fill, and fortunately, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes did just that. Taking place hundreds of years in the future, this new story follows a completely new group of apes and humans. Although apes are now the planet’s dominant species, the culture that they’ve built over the course of generations and even the legacy of the franchise’s previous protagonist, Ceaser, is brought into question. It is a very riveting narrative that contains the outstanding visuals, interesting characters, and nail-biting action that those familiar with the franchise have come to expect. The pure visual spectacle is undeniable and the new villain, Proximus, was fun to watch. While I did feel as if the longer runtime of the film lent itself to scenes that dragged a little longer than they probably should’ve, I still very much enjoyed this entry in the series and I can’t wait for the sequel. Score: 8/10
Noah Robinson 