Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is not just dealing with Caesar's legacy on screen, but also off it.
The rebooted trilogy were critically-acclaimed movies – with many calling for the Oscars to recognise Andy Serkis's incredible performance – and box-office hits with more than $1.6 billion worldwide.
It's a high bar to live up to, especially as we know how badly the series can go (hi Tim Burton). The ending of War for the Planet of the Apes still left space in the timeline for more story before the original movie, but the question was whether it was worth the risk.
Now that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is here, you'll be glad they took the chance. It takes a little while to find its footing, but it's a strong continuation of a franchise that is as emotionally engaging as it is visually spectacular.
The smartest move that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes makes is in its setting. While there is an unexpected nod to Caesar that gives the movie a gut-punch opening, the majority of the action takes place "many generations later".
It frees up the movie to tell its own story, freed of any need for previous characters to be involved. The switch turns Caesar into a mythological figure and explores his legacy which hasn't just been used for the good he intended.
What to Read Next
Our guide through this new era of the Planet of the Apes is chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) who, when his village is destroyed, sets out on a dangerous journey to save his family. Along the way, Noa encounters feral human Mae (Freya Allan) and orangutan Raka (Peter Macon), and he begins to question everything he knew about the past.
Director Wes Ball has been open in his hopes that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is merely the start of a new story. As such, the plot is largely there to establish the new world order of this era, moving the important pieces into place and setting the stage for the wider story of a potential trilogy.
It means that the movie can feel a bit sluggish at times, especially with the lengthy 144-minute runtime. But once Noa sets out on his journey, the movie also gains some welcome forward momentum and only gets stronger as it goes on. By the time you get to the thrilling finale, you'll be wishing you could spend another hour in this world.
Even when the story is meandering to set up the various characters, you'll be able to appreciate the incredibly-realised world, both familiar and unfamiliar to our own. Visually, it's on par with the previous trilogy, with Weta FX doing excellent work with both the world and the apes within it.
With the impressive performances from Owen Teague and Kevin Durand (as main antagonist Proximus Caesar), it gives the apes depth and character. They're also not just retreads; Noa is not just the new Caesar and Proximus is not just the new Koba. Their characters are as complex and layered as these movies have always delivered.
The same could be said of the movie's main human character, Mae, with Freya Allan captivating in her first blockbuster role. Initially she seems little more than a damsel-in-distress type, but the movie is more adult and unexpected than that, utilising her character to ask compelling questions you'll be debating afterwards.
If this makes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sound very worthy and dry, it's also a movie that's aware it's a blockbuster. Wes Ball stages several intense and impactful set pieces – including a gripping spin to The Lost World's iconic long grass sequence – that deliver the captivating spectacle you'd expect from an early summer release.
The movie might not have Caesar, but Wes Ball has ensured that his spirit remains in both the storyline and the overall movie. There's substance here to go with the visual style and big-screen spectacle, a potent mix that worked so well for the previous trilogy.
Whether Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes does enough at the box office to ensure we see the continuation of the story remains to be seen. But, some first-act issues aside, it does a superb job at making you want to see this story continue.
For more on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, check out:
• Does Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes have a post-credits scene?
• Is Caesar in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
• How long is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
• When will Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes be on Disney+?
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is out now in cinemas.
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
