‘Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Receives Overwhelmingly Positive Early Reactions

4 May

Though the hype isn’t as high as it was during the Matt Reeves era of the Planet Of The Apes franchise (previous trilogy), ‘Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ started to generate more buzz after it premiered in Hollywood on Thursday, and reportedly had many critics and industry insiders impressed.

Directed by Wes Ball, the latest addition to the franchise seems to contain strong themes and performances like its predecessors. ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ takes place nearly 300 years after 2017's ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ — setting up a new conflict between apes and humans in this sci-fi epic.

Film Speak's Griffin Schiller had nothing but praise for the film, using 'Star Wars' ‘Episode IV: A New Hope’ as a comparison for how good the sequel is: "Apes have never been STRONGER in Wes Ball's MAGNIFICENT 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes!' The complexities of Caesar's legacy loom large, but twisted in this coming-of-age odyssey of truth & lies, knowledge & power. A breathtaking visual feast! 'A New Hope' for the Apes franchise."

ComicBook's Brandon Davis called the new sequel "a classic cummer blockbuster," praising its performances and how it feels "like a start to an epic new saga.” He continued: "[The film] Takes a minute to get going, thoroughly introducing new characters & timeline, then never looks back. VFX are astonishing. Great performances. Feels like a start to an epic new saga. Need the next one ASAP."

Screen Rant's Caitlin Tyrrell called Wes Ball "the perfect director" to bring this new film to life, pointing out the great characters, visuals, and "brilliant through lines" that tie it back to its predecessors: "Wes Ball is the perfect director to bring 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' to life! A compelling story with complex characters, stunning visuals, and brilliant through lines tying it to the movies that came before. Noa, Mae, and Proximus Caesar are phenomenal!"

Considering the roaring praise this new outing is already receiving, we could be looking at the beginning of a larger franchise and a trilogy that will develop over the next several years.

RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2024.

Catch our review next week.

“Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes” specifics: Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

CREW: Director: Wes Ball | Screenplay: Josh Friedman | Cinematography: Gyula Pados | Editor: Dan Zimmerman | Music: John Paesano.

STARRING: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy.

PRODUCTION: Oddball Entertainment, Jason T. Reed Productions.

DISTRIBUTORS: 20th Century Studios.

2024 - Action/Sci-fi - 2h 25m