Remember when the idea of rebooting Planet of the Apes was a joke?
That feels like so long ago now.
In the summer of 2011, there were so many movies to get excited about. Two new Marvel movies paving the way to The Avengers, the final installment in the Harry Potter franchise, a third Michael Bay Transformers movie, and an original Jon Favreau action film about cowboys and aliens (yes, people were excited for this) highlighted what seemed to be a great summer for blockbuster cinema. Rupert Wyatt's Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a total afterthought- Fox seemed to be dumping the movie in the doldrums of August, there was a general lack of a marketing campaign, and James Franco leading the cast didn't inspire much confidence. So pretty much everyone in the film world was shocked when the film ended up being genuinely great, a highly engaging, entertaining reboot that breathed new life into the franchise after the disastrous Tim Burton reboot a decade earlier.
For many, 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was a massive step forward for the series. Wyatt departed after failing to get his vision off the ground, allowing Matt Reeves to come in and make the sequel his own way. The director of Cloverfield and Let Me In embraced the chance to make a darker, more thematically resonant Apes movie, and Dawn became a huge critical and box office hit. For me, it displayed Reeves' terrific filmmaking abilities without having the story to match, an impressive work of post-apocalyptic style that couldn't put all the pieces together. The action scenes are incredible, the scenes with the apes are compelling, and the conflict between Caesar and Koba is thoroughly fascinating- but there's so much with Dawn that just doesn't work. It has no ending, it lacks a sense of narrative momentum, and the human characters are blank slates. Dawn has style, but it fell short of the mark.
War for the Planet of the Apes is the final installment in this new trilogy, and despite my qualms with Dawn, I could not have been more excited to see Matt Reeves send this series out with a bang. And this time out, Reeves is firing on all cylinders, delivering a monumental movie that transcends its genre origins to create something thrillingly entertaining, rousing, and emotional. It's the kind of blockbuster that is so ambitious and astoundingly different that I can't believe it even exists, a bleak journey that deals with dark themes and intense ideas. It's brutal and terrifying, told on an awe-inspiring scale that makes this whole thing feel epic. War for the Planet of the Apes is the perfect conclusion to Caesar's story, a filmmaking feat for Reeves, and a blockbuster spectacle for the ages. Equipped with some dazzling setpieces and a tremendous score from Michael Giacchino, War is a straight-up masterpiece. This film blew me away.
Some time after the battle between Caesar (Andy Serkis) and Koba (Toby Kebbell) that started a war against humanity, the apes are locked in a bitter conflict with an army of soldiers who are determined to take back civilization. The band of humans are led by a heartless Colonel (Woody Harrelson), a deranged madman hellbent on wiping out any sign of weakness and ensuring the supremacy of humankind. Caesar and his forces are hiding out in the woods, hoping to be left alone and avoid any contact with the Colonel or his men. But after an unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Colonel himself, Caesar and his closest allies- Maurice (Karin Konoval), Rocket (Terry Notary), and Luca (Michael Adamthwaite)- embark on a journey to face down humanity's monstrous leader, while the rest of the apes move to a safe haven on the coast. With the fate of planet Earth at stake, Caesar and the Colonel will engage in a battle of wills, hoping to preserve what's left of their species and win the greatest war in history.
Back in March, I wrote an article lamenting the death of the modern blockbuster, citing Logan as an example of an era that no longer existed. Well, 2017 has been proving me wrong time and time again. The superhero movies (not counting Spider-Man: Homecoming, the weakest of this year's heroic crop) have stood on their own, and now comes War for the Planet of the Apes, a big-budget spectacle that carries a sense of scope and magnitude that I thought to be reserved only for the epics of yesteryear. It is a conclusion of Biblical proportions- after the flawed Shakespearean saga of betrayal and jealousy that was Dawn, this is a story of hate, leadership, and the thin line between good and evil. It is everything that I thought Hollywood had done away with a long time ago. I can only hope that we maintain this blockbuster momentum, the devotion to grand ideas, impossibly daring extravaganzas, and auteur filmmakers with a vision. In the case of this film, that filmmaker is Matt Reeves- it all starts with him.
I always felt that Matt Reeves was on the cusp of greatness. A longtime friend of Hollywood wunderkind J.J. Abrams, Reeves has always shown an immense talent behind the camera and a keen sense of the inner workings of genre movies. Cloverfield is ultimately a disappointing film (especially when put in comparison to Dan Trachtenberg's loosely related follow-up), but it de-constructs the monster mash well and displays plenty of innovation. I was disappointed with Dawn because I knew it came so close to being brilliant- I knew that Reeves was capable of a home run. Thankfully, everything clicks perfectly into place for War, a film that is both epic and intimate, wearing its influences on its sleeve while also being committed to its own fierce sense of originality. Reeves is a director who has an instinct for sweeping vistas and large-scale action, but he also has the ability to use the camera to examine his characters. What he does with the body language and the communication skills of the apes is astounding, and the level of emotional gravity is never anything less than stunning.
Working with co-screenwriter Mark Bomback, Reeves is able to craft a picture and a story that fits his unique set of skills. War for the Planet of the Apes is a deliberately paced film. It is tense and focused, but it is no rush to tell its story, nor does it feel any obligation to spoon feed information to its audience. It is told on a frighteningly large scale, while simultaneously being completely engaged in the thoughts and motivations of its characters. It paints a picture of a desolate, disturbing future, but it also looks into the past, telling a story of persecution, torture, and survival in the face of inhuman opposition. It exists in a world where super-smart apes are fighting for supremacy, yet it manages to feel incredibly relevant to the struggles of the modern world. Reeves has made a blockbuster that takes direct cues from Apocalypse Now and Platoon, not merely in style, but in theme as well. He doesn't aspire to create another piece of blockbuster schlock- he wants War to rise above the rest of the pack.
And that it does. War is superior to many action movies from both a thematic and cinematic perspective. In regards to the former, this is a film that concerns itself with ideology, with the struggle to deal with one's own thirst for revenge, with the consequences of extremity during desperate circumstances. It puts a more personal spin on Caesar's story, and the struggle to maintain his principles and not become what he once despised is thrilling to watch. And when it comes to the production values, it doesn't get much more incredible than this. The cinematography of Michael Seresin is bleak and beautiful, giving the film a monochromatic feel that perfectly matches the tone that Reeves has established. But perhaps the most staggering work comes from Michael Giacchino, a composer who has impressed me for nearly a decade now. He does maybe his best work ever here, giving us a score that is rousing, awe-inspiring, and equipped with a grandiose flair that makes the whole movie work.
For all the technical wizardry and Biblical scale of War, the fact of the matter is that Reeves has put an importance on character that is virtually unparalleled in the modern blockbuster world. This franchise has always been about Caesar's journey, and Andy Serkis' performance is another amazing display of his immense talent. From the moment that Caesar first appears on the screen, there's a weariness to him, a sense that he has been pushed to his boiling point. As he is tested throughout this narrative, we see Serkis maintain this fine balance between dignity and rage, a balance that must have been extremely difficult to pull off. But unlike prior films, Serkis has a worthy adversary in Woody Harrelson, who plays possibly the most despicably empathetic villain in recent film history. Harrelson's Colonel is a man who has lost his humanity, a man who has gone to incredible measures to protect his vision of the world and his species. The magic trick of Harrelson's performance is that you understand his motivation, despite hating everything he stands for.
Serkis often dominates the conversation when it comes to motion-capture work, but I feel like I can't say enough good things about Karin Konoval, who plays Maurice, Caesar's closest confidant since their time together in a California cell. Konoval gives a brilliantly subtle performance, working so well with Serkis to create a fully realized relationship with Caesar. I should also mention Steve Zahn's Bad Ape, the new addition to the crew and the movie's main source of comedic relief. While War isn't necessarily a "fun" movie per say, it is a remarkably entertaining spectacle. For all of my talk of the rich technical work and stunning devotion to complex themes, it can't be overlooked that this is a film that is simply awesome to behold. It is a character-centric saga unlike any I've seen, and the fact that there's such a deep emotional connection with the audience only enhances the experience. When it comes to the conclusion of a trilogy, it doesn't get much better than this.
It's a shame that War for the Planet of the Apes is being released so close to Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. Yes, the WWII epic is the superior film, but Reeves' heartbreaking, genius display of sheer cinematic power should not be overlooked. A breathtaking story that is as handsomely crafted as it is jaw-dropping in its brutality, War is the kind of visionary work that has become an increased rarity. It's an impeccable balance of character and scope, and it's a sly bit of social commentary as well. When it comes to franchise filmmaking, this is as good as it gets. War for the Planet of the Apes sends this unexpectedly moving trilogy out on a high note, all while standing as one of the most dramatically electrifying mainstream films of the decade. Yes, it really is that good.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9.5/10)
Images courtesy of Fox
That feels like so long ago now.
In the summer of 2011, there were so many movies to get excited about. Two new Marvel movies paving the way to The Avengers, the final installment in the Harry Potter franchise, a third Michael Bay Transformers movie, and an original Jon Favreau action film about cowboys and aliens (yes, people were excited for this) highlighted what seemed to be a great summer for blockbuster cinema. Rupert Wyatt's Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a total afterthought- Fox seemed to be dumping the movie in the doldrums of August, there was a general lack of a marketing campaign, and James Franco leading the cast didn't inspire much confidence. So pretty much everyone in the film world was shocked when the film ended up being genuinely great, a highly engaging, entertaining reboot that breathed new life into the franchise after the disastrous Tim Burton reboot a decade earlier.
For many, 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was a massive step forward for the series. Wyatt departed after failing to get his vision off the ground, allowing Matt Reeves to come in and make the sequel his own way. The director of Cloverfield and Let Me In embraced the chance to make a darker, more thematically resonant Apes movie, and Dawn became a huge critical and box office hit. For me, it displayed Reeves' terrific filmmaking abilities without having the story to match, an impressive work of post-apocalyptic style that couldn't put all the pieces together. The action scenes are incredible, the scenes with the apes are compelling, and the conflict between Caesar and Koba is thoroughly fascinating- but there's so much with Dawn that just doesn't work. It has no ending, it lacks a sense of narrative momentum, and the human characters are blank slates. Dawn has style, but it fell short of the mark.
War for the Planet of the Apes is the final installment in this new trilogy, and despite my qualms with Dawn, I could not have been more excited to see Matt Reeves send this series out with a bang. And this time out, Reeves is firing on all cylinders, delivering a monumental movie that transcends its genre origins to create something thrillingly entertaining, rousing, and emotional. It's the kind of blockbuster that is so ambitious and astoundingly different that I can't believe it even exists, a bleak journey that deals with dark themes and intense ideas. It's brutal and terrifying, told on an awe-inspiring scale that makes this whole thing feel epic. War for the Planet of the Apes is the perfect conclusion to Caesar's story, a filmmaking feat for Reeves, and a blockbuster spectacle for the ages. Equipped with some dazzling setpieces and a tremendous score from Michael Giacchino, War is a straight-up masterpiece. This film blew me away.
Some time after the battle between Caesar (Andy Serkis) and Koba (Toby Kebbell) that started a war against humanity, the apes are locked in a bitter conflict with an army of soldiers who are determined to take back civilization. The band of humans are led by a heartless Colonel (Woody Harrelson), a deranged madman hellbent on wiping out any sign of weakness and ensuring the supremacy of humankind. Caesar and his forces are hiding out in the woods, hoping to be left alone and avoid any contact with the Colonel or his men. But after an unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Colonel himself, Caesar and his closest allies- Maurice (Karin Konoval), Rocket (Terry Notary), and Luca (Michael Adamthwaite)- embark on a journey to face down humanity's monstrous leader, while the rest of the apes move to a safe haven on the coast. With the fate of planet Earth at stake, Caesar and the Colonel will engage in a battle of wills, hoping to preserve what's left of their species and win the greatest war in history.
Back in March, I wrote an article lamenting the death of the modern blockbuster, citing Logan as an example of an era that no longer existed. Well, 2017 has been proving me wrong time and time again. The superhero movies (not counting Spider-Man: Homecoming, the weakest of this year's heroic crop) have stood on their own, and now comes War for the Planet of the Apes, a big-budget spectacle that carries a sense of scope and magnitude that I thought to be reserved only for the epics of yesteryear. It is a conclusion of Biblical proportions- after the flawed Shakespearean saga of betrayal and jealousy that was Dawn, this is a story of hate, leadership, and the thin line between good and evil. It is everything that I thought Hollywood had done away with a long time ago. I can only hope that we maintain this blockbuster momentum, the devotion to grand ideas, impossibly daring extravaganzas, and auteur filmmakers with a vision. In the case of this film, that filmmaker is Matt Reeves- it all starts with him.
I always felt that Matt Reeves was on the cusp of greatness. A longtime friend of Hollywood wunderkind J.J. Abrams, Reeves has always shown an immense talent behind the camera and a keen sense of the inner workings of genre movies. Cloverfield is ultimately a disappointing film (especially when put in comparison to Dan Trachtenberg's loosely related follow-up), but it de-constructs the monster mash well and displays plenty of innovation. I was disappointed with Dawn because I knew it came so close to being brilliant- I knew that Reeves was capable of a home run. Thankfully, everything clicks perfectly into place for War, a film that is both epic and intimate, wearing its influences on its sleeve while also being committed to its own fierce sense of originality. Reeves is a director who has an instinct for sweeping vistas and large-scale action, but he also has the ability to use the camera to examine his characters. What he does with the body language and the communication skills of the apes is astounding, and the level of emotional gravity is never anything less than stunning.
Working with co-screenwriter Mark Bomback, Reeves is able to craft a picture and a story that fits his unique set of skills. War for the Planet of the Apes is a deliberately paced film. It is tense and focused, but it is no rush to tell its story, nor does it feel any obligation to spoon feed information to its audience. It is told on a frighteningly large scale, while simultaneously being completely engaged in the thoughts and motivations of its characters. It paints a picture of a desolate, disturbing future, but it also looks into the past, telling a story of persecution, torture, and survival in the face of inhuman opposition. It exists in a world where super-smart apes are fighting for supremacy, yet it manages to feel incredibly relevant to the struggles of the modern world. Reeves has made a blockbuster that takes direct cues from Apocalypse Now and Platoon, not merely in style, but in theme as well. He doesn't aspire to create another piece of blockbuster schlock- he wants War to rise above the rest of the pack.
And that it does. War is superior to many action movies from both a thematic and cinematic perspective. In regards to the former, this is a film that concerns itself with ideology, with the struggle to deal with one's own thirst for revenge, with the consequences of extremity during desperate circumstances. It puts a more personal spin on Caesar's story, and the struggle to maintain his principles and not become what he once despised is thrilling to watch. And when it comes to the production values, it doesn't get much more incredible than this. The cinematography of Michael Seresin is bleak and beautiful, giving the film a monochromatic feel that perfectly matches the tone that Reeves has established. But perhaps the most staggering work comes from Michael Giacchino, a composer who has impressed me for nearly a decade now. He does maybe his best work ever here, giving us a score that is rousing, awe-inspiring, and equipped with a grandiose flair that makes the whole movie work.
For all the technical wizardry and Biblical scale of War, the fact of the matter is that Reeves has put an importance on character that is virtually unparalleled in the modern blockbuster world. This franchise has always been about Caesar's journey, and Andy Serkis' performance is another amazing display of his immense talent. From the moment that Caesar first appears on the screen, there's a weariness to him, a sense that he has been pushed to his boiling point. As he is tested throughout this narrative, we see Serkis maintain this fine balance between dignity and rage, a balance that must have been extremely difficult to pull off. But unlike prior films, Serkis has a worthy adversary in Woody Harrelson, who plays possibly the most despicably empathetic villain in recent film history. Harrelson's Colonel is a man who has lost his humanity, a man who has gone to incredible measures to protect his vision of the world and his species. The magic trick of Harrelson's performance is that you understand his motivation, despite hating everything he stands for.
Serkis often dominates the conversation when it comes to motion-capture work, but I feel like I can't say enough good things about Karin Konoval, who plays Maurice, Caesar's closest confidant since their time together in a California cell. Konoval gives a brilliantly subtle performance, working so well with Serkis to create a fully realized relationship with Caesar. I should also mention Steve Zahn's Bad Ape, the new addition to the crew and the movie's main source of comedic relief. While War isn't necessarily a "fun" movie per say, it is a remarkably entertaining spectacle. For all of my talk of the rich technical work and stunning devotion to complex themes, it can't be overlooked that this is a film that is simply awesome to behold. It is a character-centric saga unlike any I've seen, and the fact that there's such a deep emotional connection with the audience only enhances the experience. When it comes to the conclusion of a trilogy, it doesn't get much better than this.
It's a shame that War for the Planet of the Apes is being released so close to Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. Yes, the WWII epic is the superior film, but Reeves' heartbreaking, genius display of sheer cinematic power should not be overlooked. A breathtaking story that is as handsomely crafted as it is jaw-dropping in its brutality, War is the kind of visionary work that has become an increased rarity. It's an impeccable balance of character and scope, and it's a sly bit of social commentary as well. When it comes to franchise filmmaking, this is as good as it gets. War for the Planet of the Apes sends this unexpectedly moving trilogy out on a high note, all while standing as one of the most dramatically electrifying mainstream films of the decade. Yes, it really is that good.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9.5/10)
Images courtesy of Fox
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