3/5 stars
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes begins with the funeral of Caesar, the dignified leader who died in sacrifice for the ape cause, before moving forward “many generations” to a time when these talking apes are now the dominant species.
The humans that are left are feral and mute, infected by a man-made virus that spread across the globe.
Here we meet Noa (Owen Teague), a young hunter chimpanzee who lives in a peaceful community until a rival clan storms in, setting fire to his village and enslaving its inhabitants.
The armour-plated leader Proximus (Kevin Durand) yells that this raid is “for Caesar”, although his violent actions seem to take the name of the great ape in vain.
Noa resolves to hunt the offending clan down and is joined by the wise orangutan Raka (Peter Macon) and Mae (Freya Allan), a young human who has been left to fend for herself in this hostile environment.
What they find is a kingdom ruled with an iron fist by Proximus, who is desperate to destroy the remaining humans.
There is a neat supporting role for William H. Macy as Trevathan, an ageing fellow who has sold out to Proximus’ rule in the belief that humans will never regain their dominance.
The film is carved out with motion-capture performances and expert computer graphics; the apes look splendid, as do the birds of prey that play a significant role in the story. Naturally, this instalment misses Caesar and the prowess of actor Andy Serkis, despite Durand’s forceful turn.
There are some joyous moments, such as when Noa and company come across a herd of zebra. Ball should be praised for creating a film that has the space for these slow-burn moments.
Sadly, the movie does not accelerate where it needs to. While the final reel embraces themes of technology and evolution, it is an overlong act that does not quite deliver the thrills or emotional payoff one would hope for.
That is largely what makes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes a competent, rather than a killer, instalment.
