David Gelmini, Anton van Beek and John Martin cast a critical eye over the very latest in cinema, 4K UHD, Blu-ray and streaming releases...

AT THE CINEMA

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2024) Cinemas Now. ☆☆☆☆

The rebooted series of Planet of the Apes films, which started with Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011, has now reached its fourth instalment. This entry takes place many years after the death of the revolutionary chimpanzee known as Caesar, with the apes now having established their own society and culture across a world previously ruled by humans.

Director Wes Ball is a familiar name in Hollywood. Having previously helmed the successful Maze Runner movies, he has also been hired to direct the upcoming Legend of Zelda film. And while Ball is a newcomer to the Planet of the Apes franchise, he still manages to leave a strong mark on the popular series. Owen Teague stars as Noa, a bright and inquisitive young chimpanzee who sets out on a quest to rescue his mother from the vicious band of marauding apes who raided his village. Throughout his journey, Noa encounters an array of memorable and often eccentric individuals, who each offer him a new perspective on how to view the world.

The wise and thoughtful orangutan known as Raka (Peter Macon), acts as a mentor figure towards Noa, teaching him the value of patience, understanding, wisdom, and empathy, while the militaristic Proximus (Kevin Durand) tries to teach Noa that apes should rule over all other living things, which clearly contrasts with the more passive teachings of Raka. And the human woman known as Nova wants humans to return to their former dominance over the world, which does not sit comfortably with the apes. These opposing viewpoints leave Noa unsure of whom to side with.

Despite its gigantic production budget, the film is surprisingly light on action sequences. Aside from a few chase scenes here and there, there’s really not much combat throughout, nor even a single large scale battle scene. We still get some thrilling set-pieces, however, including a sequence towards the beginning, in which the apes climb across towering cliffs in order to retrieve precious eggs at the top. Similarly tense is a section where the characters try to get out of a rapidly flooding bunker before drowning, and the suspense is palpable as the water continues to rise.

The pacing of the film is surprisingly slow for a blockbuster and the first act in Noa’s village could have been shortened. There are also too many scenes showing Noa simply wandering or riding across landscapes as he searches for his people. But Ball and writer Josh Friedman clearly wanted to create a more thoughtful film instead of taking the traditional blockbuster route. Noa has plenty of time to contemplate and think throughout his long and reflective journey, and so will you.

It may also give you time to think about some glaring issues with the storyline which cannot be overlooked. William H. Macy shows up briefly in the third act, but the script does not seem to know what to do with him, and so the Oscar-nominated actor quickly disappears from the remainder of the film - a waste of his obvious talent. Elsewhere, we are led to believe that a gorilla named Sylva (Eka Darville) will serve as the primary antagonist, but then he is replaced by another villain in the third act. And a sub-plot involving Noa desperately seeking his father’s approval never really goes anywhere.

Also, because Hollywood today shies away from self-contained storytelling, the events of the film frustratingly pave the way for a sequel instead of reaching a satisfying conclusion.

The apes are brought to life through impressive motion-capture effects, and strong performances from the actors add an extra dimension. Teague is particularly impressive as Noa, who proves to be an engaging protagonist.

Despite its slow pace and its surprising lack of action, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes still offers viewers a complex story of how different ideological viewpoints can come into play when various factions are vying for control. Instead of offering a more simplistic tale of good against evil, this might even be one of the most thought-provoking and emotionally provocative films you are likely to see all year, arguably making it one of the strongest entries in the entire Planet of the Apes franchise.

DG.

ALIENS (1986) 
4K UHD & Blu-ray Out now. Walt Disney. Cert: 18 ☆☆☆☆