Rise of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Oh what a wonderful day!

Here we have a thematically complex spiritual epic. We are thrust into the sprawling world and culture of the Planet of the Apes in a time after the rise and fall of Andy Serkis’ thrilling turn as Caesar. The landmark sci fi ape messiah becomes the catalyst for a chillingly allegorical fable about the power of religion as both a source of enlightenment and corruption. It can be used as both a tool for education of the self…and the manipulation of others. Also present are the ethical quandaries of who claims rightful inheritance of the earth as humanity and apes struggle towards either co-existence or annihilation. Director Wes Ball carries the torch passed by Matt Reeves with admirable sophistication and skill of technique. The visual grandeur and articulate storytelling are punctuated by the tremendous work of the special effects team. While the powerhouse of Andy Serkis is missed, the band of newcomers are more than compelling enough to keep us engaged in this new direction for the epic series. I can’t wait for this ape society to progress far enough that they develop their own space program and we can begin the new era of cinema: Galaxtic Empire of the Planet of the Apes!