Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Reviews
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set centuries after the reign of Caesar. It follows Noa (Owen Teague), a young ape who goes on a coming-of-age journey after his life is unexpectedly turned upside down. Critics and select fans have now seen the epic, two and a half hour film, and for the majority, they are raving over it.
X (formerly Twitter) reactions are raving over the film, calling it epic and beautiful. Many have connected to Noa and his touching story. As for the two and a half hour long runtime, it did not seem to bother many, with several viewers admitting they would have sat through an even longer telling of this tale.
It is said to be intense and thrilling, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats throughout the entire thing. Another solid entry in the Apes franchise.
As for the Rotten Tomatoes reviews, it should be noted that at the time of this writing, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sits at 84% with 43 reviews.
Ian Sandwell from Digital Spy admits that it takes a while to find its footing, “but it’s a strong continuation of a franchise that is as emotionally engaging as it is visually spectacular.”
Many critics point out that because Director Wes Ball takes his time with the introduction of the characters, it makes the audience care about them and what they are going through. It becomes impossible not to root for them.
M.N. Miller from InSession Film says, “Exciting, even poignant, and with the right amount of comic relief… Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the first and necessary step to a reboot (of a reboot) and one that is never slow and always entertaining.”
Courtney Howard from Fresh Fiction agrees, stating Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is “Gripping, compelling and exciting, this next chapter utilizes the building blocks of the former creations to craft a strong, worthy refurbished structure.”
Caryn James of BBC however does not agree. She says “Behind the impressive CGI, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the definition of generic, all two hours and 25 minutes of it.” And Alonso Duralde also did not enjoy the film, calling it “An intermittently entertaining but ultimately fruitless exercise in franchise expansion.”
EJ Moreno from Flickering Myth admits that the visual effects are a delight, but thinks that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes lacks the emotion that made the previous films work.
Tim Grierson from Screen International says that he cannot wait for what is to come next, “Considering how effortlessly Ball returns us to this riveting, sweeping universe, those next instalments can be eagerly anticipated.”
The overall consensus seems to be that the visuals are stunning and the story is compelling. Most critics believe that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes delivers on the emotional front, as many fell in love with characters and could not help but root for them. However, there is a small percentage of critics who feel the emotion was lacking, and the film feels generic.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on May 10, 2024.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes synopsis: Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
_
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She owns Mama’s Geeky, but also is a freelance writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for more than ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association. Her passion for film, television, video games, and comic books started when she was a little girl and has only continued to grow.