Below contains four reviews of KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, by Talking Apes Podcast hosts and members of the Skywalking Network.

By Richard Woloski (Talking Apes co-creator, host)

In CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (1972), Caesar (Roddy McDowall) proclaimed that apes will rise and conquer humanity. “Where there is fire, there is smoke!” With just a little tweak of his dialogue, Caesar could be referring to the state of film-going today. With so few movies doing much to move the excitement needle, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES will rise out of the ashes as the dominant film that we have been so desperately waiting for. Caesar would be proud of humanity in seeing what the filmmakers accomplished after seeing this the latest in the PLANET OF THE APES saga.

After 56-years, 10 films, a live-action and an animated series, director Wes Ball and his immensely talented cast and crew continue the astonishing world where apes are the supreme species. In the recent trilogy of PLANET OF THE APES films (RISE, DAWN, WAR), humans and apes were caught up in a vicious war. KINGDOM is set 300 years later, and apes are now fighting apes, though it is taught in their culture, “Ape shall never kill Ape”. There have been very few franchises that could even come close to the quality and mirror social commentary, while bringing together a cohesive storyline. (Not counting the Tim Burton film because that was a remake and not part of the same story.)

The many visual effects teams, led by Weta FX, have done the impossible task of making digital apes covered in fur look as realistic as the human actors. Andy Serkis’ creation of Caesar and motion capture performance in the last trilogy set a high bar for digital dramatic acting. Sometimes you just have to wonder if these are real primates taught the finer points of acting. I want to live in a world where someday animators are eligible for ‘Best Actor’ awards. With that said, the special effect achievements in KINGDOM never overshadow the story. This is a good thing since there is so much story here that you can’t wander away for even a moment.

As a long-time fan of the PLANET OF THE APES saga, I couldn’t help but to pump my fist whenever the filmmakers dropped in an easter egg. These visual and auditory shout-outs of the original films were very much appreciated. I won’t give them all away but I can hint at what to look out for. The name Nova was used in the original 1968 film, then again in DAWN in 2014. They use it here again with a fantastic explanation.

The almighty Lawgiver is also referenced. He is the orangutan prophet whose ideals form the basis of the apes’ system of laws. This was a big one and I mention it here so if you’re not a devout fan you will know the importance of this character reference when it comes up. There is another easter egg that even pays homage to the 1974 TV series, and the rest of them will be discernible from pop culture or by the dated feel of the reference.

There is so much story to keep track of but only once did I feel myself fall out of the story. In the original films, the different species of chimpanzee, orangutan, and gorilla were distinct because of their coloring and wardrobe. In the films of the 2010’s, apes were given wounds to make them recognizable. With so many characters in KINGDOM, I found it hard to keep track of the apes, most of which were chimpanzees. While they didn’t have distinguishable outfits or battle wounds, I zeroed in on who was who by their very expressive eyes.

I really want KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES to do exceptionally well at the box office so studios will see that a smart film can make a profit. Now go out and see the film, and GO APE!

By Sarah Woloski (Skywalking Network co-creator)

I am not as familiar with the PLANET OF THE APES films as the others here, but I do love the music. The musical soundtrack by John Paesano melds in with the previous films. The score is filled with timpani, native drums and horns, giving the whole movie a primitive feel. The war horns are a direct callback to the originals! The best part of the soundtrack, however, is when it references Jerry Goldsmith’s iconic drum sequence during a scene when apes on horseback run through a field trying to capture the human girl – very reminiscent of the iconic cornfield sequence from the original PLANET OF THE APES.

Paesano also uses the 4-note timpani theme that Michael Giacchino created for RISE and DAWN whenever our ape friends are in danger. Overall, music is a powerful way to connect KINGDOM to the previous films, especially if you love soundtracks.

As for the story of KINGDOM, I enjoyed the film immensely and would definitely recommend it even for casual fans. You don’t have to have seen the prior trilogy to follow the overall story but it would enhance the experience to tie-in certain references. The story may need a second watch to fully understand certain storytelling beats since I found it difficult to distinguish the different apes and gorillas at critical moments. I got a little lost in the last third of the film, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the movie overall.

Mark Oguschewitz (Talking Apes co-creator, co-host 2014-2020)

“Apes Together Strong”

It’s official. At this moment in time, I consider the PLANET OF THE APES franchise my favorite in the history of franchises. I have to admit that this latest installment had me a little worried at first, as I didn’t like any of the trailers used in the film’s marketing campaign. Fortunately, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES delivers an intense and emotional moviegoing experience that shows a lot of respect and love for the original films (and did I even see a little nod to the live-action TV show?). The movie is filled with its share of exciting action that had me on the edge of my seat while never losing sight of what’s most important in the world of apes: developing strong characters and exploring interesting themes. KINGDOM delivers it all.

Director Wes Ball does an amazing job with his world-building, both in the development of the new ape clan, the individual personalities of the characters and the visual look of the decaying world. He utilizes his production design and CGI effects to such a realistic extent that it makes me wonder why more movies aren’t as successful as the newer APES films in getting away from the digital look. The motion capture work produces incredibly life-like apes, with every emotional nuance coming through. Add in a wonderful cast, including an impressive performance by Freya Allan, who plays Mae, the only really significant human character in the film (other than a small yet fine performance by William H. Macy), and everything comes together amazingly. The relationship between Mae and the main ape character, Noa (Owen Teague), is well-developed and given a richly complicated and unexpected conclusion that makes me look forward to where they might take it in future installments.

I will admit that the final half-hour or so felt slightly rushed, but it doesn’t affect the movie’s overall quality, as the rest of the film is filled with some of the best storytelling and filmmaking I have seen so far this year. Ape fans are going to have an Urkotastic time watching this latest addition to a great franchise. GO APE!

Kevin Toft (Talking Apes co-host 2020-present)

First and foremost I will say that I liked KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES a lot and highly recommend it to all. As a fan of filmmaking and the combined artistry needed to make films, KINGDOM delivers an epic visual feast. Production Designer Daniel T. Dorrance and his team knocked it out of the park. From the first moment to the last moment of this film you will be amazed at the thought and care put into all elements of the production design.

There are many fantastic locations and costumes. There was incredible amounts of thought put into what human civilization would look like without humans around now, three hundred years after the previous trilogy. The design of overgrowth and decay was jaw dropping; how that is revealed was just amazing. The sets are one good way to see visually how far the apes have advanced in this chapter in the PLANET OF THE APES cinematic universe. As everyone knows a film is nothing without a good story, additionally the storytelling through the production design gets an A+. I highly recommend seeing KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES in the theater to experience the visual wonders of the film.

The film is rated PG-13 and runs 2 hrs and 25 minutes. Get your tickets here and let us know what you think of KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES!