किंग्ड़म ऑफ़ द प्लेैनेट ऑफ़ दी एप्स

I was waiting just to hear Proximus scream 'WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!' from all the times I heard the trailer playing at the theatre. I really liked how the franchise once again showcases the humanity of the apes, like the touching funeral scene. It had breathtaking scenery throughout, especially the transformation of metropolitan cities into forests. I found it interesting how they introduced pets, a bird is an ape's best friend, essentially. I liked that we exploring their customs in the first act of the movie.

While the film's length and the extensive world-building sometimes made it feel a bit slow, every scene served a purpose in the end, especially considering this's setting the stage for a new era in the Planet of the Apes movies. We get to see how the environment, the apes and the humans have evolved. I liked how the movie paid homage to Caesar without directly continuing his story; his legacy felt respectfully acknowledged. He had a good run and his story was complete.

The premise of the movie, particularly the portrayal of the antagonists, reminded me of religious wars, where the apes resemble Christian crusaders using a historic figure's image to justify war and violence, a theme with deep implications. The movie addresses that but not in a way that will make you leave the theatre pondering. How teachings can be misconstrued.

This installment's message felt more overt compared to the trilogy, almost as if the apes were portrayed as essentially human. The trilogy was always telling a human story through apes, it was always obvious but now the fourth installment is quite on the nose.

Good time is spent with the characters, so when moments of sadness or goodbyes arise, we feel it too. It's slow paced but I was heavily invested. The scene where she calls out to Noah was amazing. Hearing an 'echo' speaking, was almost as shocking when Caesar screamed "go!" for the first time. Also was she essentially looking for an English textbook? Lol.

While Noah is the lead character, there were instances where Mae took the forefront, causing some confusion about the movie's primary focus. She didn't feel explored or interesting enough but I loved Freya Allan's performance.

It's a drama. It's not what I was expecting, I thought it'd me more action packed, but it's still good. It was different to my expectations the way "War for the Planet of the apes" also wasn't a full blown war as well. I also think this is the first movie since the trilogy started where earth was now actually a planet of apes. Humans clearly have been dominated.

Following up on Caesar was always gonna be difficult, I think he was a beloved character and we got to see his whole journey. The new lead character Noah is alright, however, I didn't find myself super captivated by him. We got to see Caesar's full character arc, birth to death; while Noah is already a little older, coming-of-age age. His story is still interesting though.

The conflict of ideas between Noah and Mae could have been more intense. There were times when I thought "ouu this is about to be a big fight/argument" and it's just meh. It wasn't as thought provoking as I would've liked. I liked Proximus Caesar though, I thought he made quite the enticing antagonist. Second most interesting character after Raka*.

The ending hints at the possibility of another trilogy, laying a solid foundation for future installments. Overall, I liked it more than "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" but not as much as the sequels. "Dawn of the planet of the apes" is still my favorite. It's not as epic as I thought it'd be; I think it's more enjoyable if you're already into the franchise. It doesn't do anything terribly, I just didn't walk out of the theatre thinking "wow!" People were applauding a lot throughout the movie actually. There was a guy who sat close to me and blacked out before the movie started, snoring the entire time. Thought about not waking him up after the movie finished because everyone literally just walked by him. This dude bought imax tickets, large bucket of popcorn, large soda and some more snacks, all that just to sleep before the movie started. Anyway, I still enjoyed the whole thing, and very much looking forward to whatever's next.

Also just found out it's directed by they who did maze runner movies and they actually both have such similar aura to them.

Really wanted to like this. The previous trilogy is excellent, and I'd even say it's one of the best genre trilogies ever made (LOTR is #1, of course). Dawn is especially a masterpiece of intelligent sci-fi adventure spectacle, a movie that is both exciting and intelligent. The entire trilogy is emotionally engaging and Caesar is an incredible lead.

Unfortunately, this film doesn't have any characters as good as Caesar. In fact, it feels like a lesser retread of the same ideas and themes of the previous trilogy. There's nothing really new here. You've already seen a better version of this movie before.

With that said, let me get the good out of the way first. The cinematography is excellent. The visual effects are still incredible, both as a technical and artistic achievement. The first 45 minutes of the film are really solid. There's a lot of good visual storytelling in the opening act.

However, once we meet the main antagonist, things kinda fall apart. The pacing is off. Some scenes drag, while major character moments feel rushed. There's a friction between two major characters that doesn't feel earned, especially since the characters kinda come to an understanding, and then a few scenes later they are butting heads. What could and should have been an interesting dynamic feels incomplete, like entire scenes were cut out.

The main antagonist could have been really cool. The idea of a cult-like warlord obsessed with human history, there's so much they could have done with that idea. But he simply doesn't have enough scenes to really make him anything more than Koba Part II. And Koba had better motivations and more complexity. None of the characters here are as well written as the previous trilogy and the last 10 minutes feel more like a TV finale than a movie.

Oh, and the music score is pretty generic and forgettable. Really disappointing, because I love the music from the other movies. Caesar's theme is so good. Nothing here comes close.

Anyway... Kingdom is far from terrible, but to quote another major franchise with a movie coming out May 2024: "Mediocre!"

I really wanted to like this film, but unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. There are no characters who could compare to such an outstanding hero as Caesar. The main character was not impressive. The film does not offer anything particularly new, and I miss the unique atmosphere that director Matt Reeves created. The main antagonist could have been truly captivating and powerful, but he simply doesn't have enough screen time to showcase his potential and become something truly great. The plot felt predictable, and the dialogue lacked the depth and emotion that could have made the story more engaging. Overall, the film failed to capture the magic that made its predecessors so memorable.

This film continues the franchise's tradition of delivering thought-provoking and visually stunning sci-fi. The film shines with its impressive special effects and CGI, which bring the apes to life in a remarkably realistic way. The world-building is expansive, offering a fresh take on the franchise's post-apocalyptic setting that's both intriguing and immersive. The story introduces new layers to the apes' society and their conflicts, maintaining the series' hallmark of exploring complex themes through its characters.

The performances, particularly from the lead actors portraying the apes, are compelling, adding depth and emotion to their roles. The action sequences are well-choreographed and engaging, keeping the tension high throughout.

However, the film does stumble slightly in its pacing. Some parts of the story drag, and there are moments where the narrative feels overly familiar, relying on tropes from previous installments. Additionally, while the new characters are interesting, they don't always receive the development needed to make a strong impact.

Overall, this is a strong entry in the series that continues to captivate with its imaginative world and impressive visuals, even if it occasionally falls into predictable patterns. It's a satisfying watch for fans and newcomers alike, with enough to offer to keep the franchise's legacy alive.

Weakest of all the post 2010 POTA movies imo. Too much ape politics, family life and philosophising and too little else. The original and Beneath the POTA are still by far the best two POTA movies for me, and all done without CGI. You can only be wowed for so long by how well the apes are rendered and for me that ran out of steam 2 movies ago. This movie seems to serve little purpose other than to set up the next one. Couple of nice flash backs to the original (the human hunt horns and the music when they encounter the scarecrows on the bridge) but other than that, an overly long, pretty forgettable movie with a lame story and script.