The first new Planet of the Apes movie since the Disney acquisition of Fox has arrived and it’s a triumphant entry for the franchise.

Picking up several generations after the last film; Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes introduces Noa (Owen Teague), who looks to gain the respect of his Chieftan father on a day of ascension. Noa and his friends have collected Eagle eggs as their clan raises and works with Eagles and Noa sees this as a chance to become what is expected of him.

When an unexpected attack by a gang of Apes under the leadership of Proxima (Kevin Durand), leaves Noa with no choice but to try to locate and find his captive tribe; he sets out on a life-changing journey. Along the way Noa meets an Ape named Raka (Peter Macon), who advises him in the way that things were, and a human named Mae (Freya Allan), who is much smarter and cunning than the de-evolved humans they are used to. What follows is a journey of discovery and some adventure as the group must ward off dangers known and unknown.

While the film can be slow in some parts, the characters are well-defined and have a multi-level complexity not usually seen in films of this type. Themes of religion shaping and altering history, the tendency of mankind to stimulate the worst traits in themselves and those around them, and the bonds that divide and unite are all strong themes of the film. The visuals are amazing and details as basic as saliva when talking show how incredible the FX work on the film is.

I found myself thinking about the themes and questions raised by the movie long after the screening and like the Easter Eggs for fans of the franchise; the movie contains a central question of does mankind ultimately set the seeds for conflict and negative behavior in everything they do.

The movie has lots going for it and I look forward to seeing what is next for the franchise as “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” delivers an intelligent and visually amazing adventure not to be missed.

4 stars out of 5

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