"Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet."
SHORT VERSION:
In its 3rd installment, WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES brings Caesar’s journey for peace for his people & himself to a thrilling and emotional conclusion. The trilogy is a worthy successor as well as its own unique vision of the Planet of the Apes.
LONG VERSION:
I am a long-time fan of the Planet of the Apes series. Before STAR WARS, it was my science fiction series of choice, right down to the Mego action figures.
But this new series is its own entity, nodding to the original series without being heavy handed, striking out to make you sympathize with the apes over the humans.
Returning writer/director Matt
Reeves, along with returning writer Mark
Bomback, have continued to add to the journey
of Caesar (Andy Serkis), putting him in
the position of having to choose between being a leader & guiding
his people and being a father following vengeance. In many ways,
this story is a classic western tale, translated into the world of
talking apes. It’s solid and gripping, bringing an emotional level
to Caesar’s journey I hadn’t expected to get.
This brings
me to Andy Serkis and the visual FX team. The greatest “trick”
the series has pulled off is in not reminding you that our hero is a
computer effect draped over an actor in a bodysuit with dots all over
it. Each film has built upon and sustained this illusion of a live,
talking ape, without a moment slippage. But as much as the technical
skill needed to achieve this is amazing, it still needs the actor
behind it. There are plenty of actors who would have trouble doing
this part just on their own. But Serkis having to play in a mo-cap
suit, then have his actions translated into a CGI, and keep it
believable in the role is pretty stunning. This goes for Karin
Konoval (Maurice)
and Terry Notary (Rocket), who are portraying these characters for the third
time, along with Serkis. There’s an ease to how they interact with
each other that comes through the makeup and CGI work.
All together, they make what they’ve accomplished look easy. It most certainly is not easy, and the Academy should start doing something about it.
Steve Zahn does an excellent job as Bad Ape, bringing a humor to the story that I didn’t think was possible. He adds to the world, lightening up a world that is grim at time, without being silly. Amiah Miller does a excellent job having to act without speaking, mostly around actors in mo-cap suits. This is likely a skill best to develop early for a young actor today.
Woody Harrelson gets a rare take as the villain, The Colonel, and goes after it well. His reasons are more complex than simply the destruction of Caesar and the apes. He’s measured and mad, with a vision, making him all the more frightening. I always appreciate a villain with a perspective. The Colonel’s confrontations with Caesar are some of the best parts.
The story echoes several other films including A BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (Col. Saito vs Col Nicholson comes to mind) and APOCALYPSE NOW (I don't think he's a colonel by accident), as well as nods to the original Apes series as well. Hardcore fans will recognize the symbols of the Colonel’s troops and the chilling connotation with them. But they are all in service of telling Caesar’s story, noting just aping classic films. (Sorry…)
I’m happy with where Reeves has left the story. Yes, there are absolutely ways to do new movies if the studio wanted to do so. But the arc of Caesar is complete by the end and it is ended well.
In a world where many movie series lose their ways by the end, WAR
FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES sticks the ends and completes what it set
out to do.
NOTE: There are no post-credit scenes.
