Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Proves Being Unique Isn’t a Handicap

  “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader  (Kevin Durand) builds his empire, one young ape, Noa (Owen Teague) undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Directed by Wes Ball and touting some gorgeous shots courtesy of Gyula Pados and production designer Daniel D. Dorrance, I couldn’t help thinking about my introduction to the original franchise starring the late Roddy McDowell.  Always posing the question of which race is better, the film struck a chord that I didn’t expect.  As Mae (Freya Allen) consistently bellows, “…you don’t belong here,” it was a sore reminder of the current state of affairs regarding immigration, among other political culture wars of the moment.  Imagine living in a world where humans are in the minority and the world we once predominantly inhabited is now run by a species of animal believed to be inferior with climate change becoming a real consequence. It’s a stark reminder that our differences are what makes us unique and being unique should be embraced not condemned.

All around the performances are intriguing.  Allen is particularly impressive as she shifts from being a human of the land to one who is cunning and not to be trusted.  Teague and Durand hold court in more ways than one, especially with a fight to the finish aka Killmonger vs Black Panther style keeping your eyes glued to the screen.

While extending some lengthy action sequences, the emotion coupled with the action and adventure was not lost on me making it one of the more enjoyable additions to the franchise. It’s a long way from the Charlton Heston version back in the day, but Wes Ball proves this franchise is far from over