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The most recent Planet of the Apes trilogy followed the rise of a group of genetically evolved apes—and their battle against the humans who have survived a deadly virus. Now, in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the story—and the fight between ape and man—continues.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place hundreds of years after Caesar fought for apes’ freedom. Now, apes have created their own clans, while humans travel in wild herds. After his clan is attacked and enslaved by a warrior clan that’s fighting to control old human technology, Noa (Owen Teague) sets out on a mission to free them. Along the way, he learns about the teachings of Caesar—and he meets an intelligent young human woman named Mae (Freya Allan), who changes the way he sees the world around him.
Though he’d seemingly grown up knowing nothing outside his own clan and his own village, Noa ventures out into forbidden lands, and the things he sees make him rethink his beliefs about both apes and humans. All he wants is his clan back—to return to his old way of life. But instead he finds himself caught in the middle of a battle between a power-hungry ape and a human woman who’s determined to keep human technology out of his hands. For much of the film, it seems pretty simple—just Noa’s journey to reconnect with his clan. But as it builds, it takes the story in an interesting direction—moving beyond the previous trilogy’s origins story. As it opens up new possibilities for future films, though, it may leave fans of the 1968 original wondering how it’ll all work together.
Still, the most striking thing about this film is its cinematography. Viewers travel with Noa from his rather primitive village surrounded by nature—with huts and lofty structures built primarily of sticks—into a land of overgrown ruins. Where millions of people once rushed through noisy city streets, all that’s left is the remains of collapsed buildings that have been taken over by plant life to create an eerie kind of jungle. And that stunning backdrop of reclaimed ruins adds to the drama of the ongoing struggle between apes and humans.
Though it takes a while to build, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes offers some interesting new possibilities for this franchise. And the blockbuster-worthy cinematography alone makes it worth a trip to your favorite theater.
You can join Noa on his quest when Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes arrives in theaters on May 10, 2024.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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