Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review: A solid but lackluster sequel

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes brings back one of the most acclaimed sagas of the last decade to cinemas. Story about Stop and the origins of these super-intelligent apes who dominated the world deceived audiences throughout three films that combined science thrillers and warfare in a very balanced way. Now we return to this universe several generations later, when apes have already become the dominant species. A project that seeks to revive the saga once again in the future.

The film tells about the adventures No, a young chimpanzee living in his small clan in the middle of a mountain. However, although he leads a peaceful life, he soon learns that the world is much bigger. Not far from their home there is another monkey settlement, led by Proximus Caesartyrant who perverted the doctrine Stop and enslaves his fellows. IN Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes No He sets out on a journey to decide the fate of his species, meeting people along the way. May.

Uneven film

The film starts off very strong. For both newcomers to the saga and older veterans, the dystopian world that is Planet of the Apes. A place taken over by nature, where primates roam freely, living their lives. In this regard, Wesball With great skill, he provided the necessary space to present the entire social and political context of the story. It is necessary to understand that the monkeys are divided into small societies and that each of them has its own customs. There are also common beliefs such as the life of this great Stop who reaches the category of messiah.

All this is the director Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes presents it to us through the eyes No, the main character of the film. The first hour is sensational as it strikes you as a very rich and well-kept fictional universe. But he forgets to build a fairly interesting story out of it. After a wonderful start, the film remains a generic and predictable adventure that loses much of the originality factor that the saga has demonstrated up to this point.

And he does this, moreover, in a rather irregular rhythm. Sometimes it speeds up, and sometimes it remains completely stuck, spinning around the same thing over and over again. There is no narrative structure to accompany the film, which at times seems to struggle to move forward. To make matters worse, the second half loses that care due to the detail that dominated the first act. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

When the villain and his entire empire are introduced, only four sweeping strokes are given of the whole unknown world that opens up before us. No. Yes, there are very interesting conflicts and reflections to avoid disaster. But everything is covered with a small layer of laziness, which is why it is not at the level of the previous ones. Moreover, in the last act we seem to sense an epic outcome that redefines everything. But the footage has fallen so far out of favor that it doesn’t even reach the level I expected. It’s a shame because overall, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is full of good ideas. But the execution of many of them should have been much more spectacular.

Caesar’s shadow

To this uneven and downward pace we must add another important setback. The great pillar on which the saga was built was its protagonist. Stop. He was such an extremely charismatic monkey that he conveyed more than humans. Job Andy Serkis It was amazing. But in the new part, none of the main characters do this properly. No He is a good chimpanzee and it is very wise to follow all the development through him. The same thing happens with Mayman from Freya Allen, which offers an interesting counterpoint. These are good and correct characters. But they don’t even come close to the legacy they carry.

And the villain too Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Proximus Caesar. He’s a vile tyrant who, due to his short screen time, we know nothing about and who no one will remember in the future of the franchise. He always strives to be a classic and terrifying antagonist, but this goal is never achieved, the film stopping halfway when it comes to defining him. The last feeling is that without true Stopmuch of the appeal of this prequel series was lost.

Technical miracle

Yes where Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes It undoubtedly wins in its technical equipment. The special effects are brutal, a marvel comparable to the best seen in recent years in films such as Avatar 2. Hyperrealism in digital monkey creation has reached its peak. There is not a single shot in the entire film that is poorly done in this regard. So much so that you have to remember from time to time that what you see are not real primates, because if they didn’t talk and didn’t have all the skills they show, they could get inside just fine.

Fortunately, the studio gave its employees the necessary time to develop characters and a world in which it seems impossible that they do not exist. The balance between real-life scenarios and computer-generated recreations is perfect. Evidence that this is the way to go, unlike today’s fast food blockbusters, where visual effects are increasingly neglected. It’s worth watching for this alone Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on the largest screen possible.

Eventually, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes This is a solid film that stands on its own. But, being part of such a brilliant saga, it seems to have too low a status. The grandiosity has given way to a generic, irregular and overly long story, which in any case promises a new revival in the following parts. She’s probably the worst in the franchise at this point due to her lack of claws and fangs. But it’s not a bad film because it has some very well-crafted ideas and reflections, as well as an unsurpassed and enviable technical side.