Review: War For The Planet Of The Apes Is A Phenomenal End To An Excellent Trilogy.
- Jul 27, 2017
- 2 min read
We have come so very far in the past six years. Over this time we have seen franchises rise and fall, reboots of classic movies tossed aside by the superior originals. And yet, one stands strong. Caesar and his apes have stood the test of time, stood tall in the face of the detritus about them and come out the other side with what may be the greatest film trilogy of all time.
Two years have passed since the events that unfolded in Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and for these two years, the apes, led by Caesar (Andy Serkis) have been at war with humanity, specifically a contingent of US troops commanded by a ruthless colonel (Woody Harrelson). It is a stalemate, the apes hold fast within the forest and the men cannot root them out. But when things go wrong and the colonel's forces fall upon Caesar's home, there is only one thing on his mind. As the majority of the apes leave to travel to a new home, Caesar, along with a few familiar faces, seek out the colonel, determined to bring the war to an end.
Incredible effects aside, and really, the apes are, for all intents and purposes, real, War For The Planet Of The Apes is easily the best film of 2017, thus far at least. Drawing from various westerns as well as the likes of The Great Escape and The Bridge On The River Kwai, as well as utilising much of the plot and characters from both the 1968 film and this new rebooted series, it tells an epic story of biblical proportions. Title discrepancies ignored, the film is more so an exodus than it is a war, War For The Planet Of The Apes is an expertly crafted tale of apes, men, war, peace and everything in between.
Caesar, once more portrayed by Serkis, forms the core of the film and once again does a stellar job. His ever present conscience, the orangutan Maurice (Karin Konoval) is also excellent as is the new character of Bad Ape, played by Steve Zahn, bringing some much needed levity to what is a very dark film. Woody Harrelson is, much to my surprise, very watchable and while he is a little over the top at times he easily plays a convincing yet sympathetic villain. Toss in the ghost of Koba (Toby Kebbell) that still haunts Caesar and you have a fully rounded and wholly excellent cast of characters.
When a films biggest problem is that it relies heavily on those that came prior, it can be an issue. But when the films that came before are so thoroughly excellent that it's worth sitting through them again to ensure you're all caught up, you know you're in for a good time. War For The Planet of The Apes is better than every other film in a franchise that spans almost 50 years (2018 will be the 50th Anniversary), and trumps every other film released this year. If that won't convince you to check it out, nothing will.
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