War for the Planet of the Apes
Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller
Directed by: Matt Reeves
Rated: PG-13
Apes together strong, indeed.
It's been 6 years since Rise of the Planet of the Apes debuted as one of 2011's biggest film surprises. Instead of a forgettable late summer blockbuster, it turned out to be a smart sci-fi prequel exploring the complexities of drug experimentation. It was in Rise that we were introduced to an intelligent ape named Caesar serving as the backbone of the trilogy. In 2014, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes premiered. It was proof that Rise had not been a fluke. Consistently intelligent and compelling, Dawn delved into deep questions about the human/ape power shift while furthering Caesar's fascinating characterization. Closing out a trilogy can be extremely difficult, but War of the Planet of the Apes does not back down from the challenge.
War begins with soldiers marching into a forest sporting "Monkey Killer" helmets as audience is immediately sent into a battle sequence of human vs. ape in War. Things have escalated drastically since Dawn and the humans are taking orders from a sadistic Colonel (Woody Harrelson) who wants to annihilate all of the apes. After a devastating loss at the hands of the Colonel, Caesar sets out for revenge with the help of his fellow apes. "Here we go" I thought. This is where one of my favorite trilogies would go downhill. I was concerned we'd lose War for the Planet of the Apes to the 3rd movie trilogy curse. We've all seen it happen. From the film's marketing, it looked like constant battle sequences with little emotional payoff. Don't get me wrong, I love a good ape riding a horse scene. It's probably the highlight of my summer movie season, but I didn't want to watch all action with no substance. Thankfully, director Matt Reeves delivered. I was relieved to see that this movie is nothing like the previews. It's a surprisingly quiet film that takes the audience on one last journey exploring the effects of war instead of numerous battles and extensive bloodshed. That's not to say it isn't dark. This is definitely the darkest of the Apes trilogy to date. Prison camps, torture, and the morality of vengeance are all heavy subjects tackled here. However, these themes are approached with careful consideration.
War for the Planet of the Apes showcases visual effects at its best. Using motion capture technology, actors perform all of the scenes in special suits. Then their performances are digitally enhanced through incredible effects. The apes we see on screen look completely real. Not only that, we can see the emotion in their faces because of the actors behind the effects. Leading the film's motion capture is Andy Serkis and I think we can all agree that it's past time for him to receive an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Caesar. Throughout his performance, you completely forget you're watching an ape. Serkis has made Caesar's character arc so deeply compelling from Rise to War. He has gone from a lab experiment to a leader. Now we see him grappling with intense issues of grief, imprisonment, and revenge. The film points out that he is not a perfect, infallible leader. There are moments when his decisions are muddled, but he ultimately tries to make the best decision for the apes around him.
Woody Harrelson plays the Colonel, a ruthless man who holds the apes in prison camps and tries to eradicate them in order to save the human race. He is every terrifying war villain you've seen rolled into one. Yet as the film progresses we can actually see there are layers to his madness. Through the Colonel, the film raises some thought-provoking questions. How would we act if the human race was dying off? Would we lose our humanity?
Major props to Steve Zahn who is a true scene-stealer as Bad Ape. It's a risk to put comedy in a film that deals with these dark themes, but Zahn provides the perfect amount of comedic relief. He's never hokey or over-the-top, but genuinely heartfelt. You truly feel for Bad Ape as he is thrown in the midst of the conflict, but he always knows what to say to brighten even the darkest moments.
Michael Giacchino's score hauntingly fits every moment of the film perfectly. It's filled with sweeping epic moments backed by pounding drumbeats and somber emotional ones accompanied by melodic strings. The audience is completely taken to the world of Caesar and the apes through Giacchino's immersive score.
War for the Planet of the Apes is a haunting, thought-provoking, and visually striking sci-fi masterwork. Just like Caesar, the Apes trilogy has grown increasingly intelligent and engaging with each passing film. War proves itself a fantastic conclusion to a thrilling trilogy.
My Rating: 10/10