War for the Planet of the Apes

When the teaser trailer for War for the Planet of the Apes was released I got goose bumps. I rode that hype-train all the way to the theater and this movie, to put it simply, was not what I thought it would be. I wanted it to be like Mad Max: Fury Road, my favorite action movie of all time, but Matt Reeves, the director, decided to take a different approach. This movie would be the end of the greatest trilogy since The Lord of the Rings, so Reeves knew he had to get it right. People might say Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy will be better, but because of Heath Ledger’s passing, Nolan had to re-write The Dark Knight Rises and he sadly didn’t have enough time to make a solid ending. Knowing this, Reeves took time on this movie, and his passion was palpable through the way he conducted each scene; he made the movie slow enough to build tension, and the spectacular character development as well as the script helped the execution. How he wrote the screenplay especially deserves applause because it was oozing with depth and themes packed with symbolism. I loved this movie, but I have to say it was not a routine action film. It was clear that the audience in the theater was not ready for this movie; it was slow, bleak, emotional, and dark. I wasn’t ready for it either, every time I wanted a scene to go a certain way, Reeves pulled the rug from under me and did it differently. Now this movie wasn’t a total Anti-War sob-fest, it actually had some very heart felt moments and a few laughs sprinkled through the movie to give the audience a time to breathe. These moments came from the addition of some very interesting characters that other directors would never have dared to put in their movie, and that’s what made them so special.

The characters in this movie were amazing. Every single one of them had a purpose and their own developing story that all came closing in on each other at the end. Individually, the characters had depth and made heavy decisions that affected the entire story, but what this movie did so well were the interactions the characters made with each other. “Apes together strong!” was visibly shown throughout because the apes and Caesar are nothing without each other. Time and time again Caesar wants to go on this mission of his alone, but each time he is shown what happens when he leaves his friends and family behind. The spotlight was on him, and Andy Serkis performed like no other, but the ensemble of characters surrounding him showed the conflict both in the world and inside his own head. Maurice, who was quiet, patient, and wise, was the moral compass that helped Caesar not fall into hate, and Rocket, my personal favorite, knew that Caesar felt the weight of his people and that the lives lost through war should not be forgotten. Those two are the most obvious moral arguments that were happening in Caesar’s mind, but the rest I will leave for you to see for yourself, because the complexity of this epic was bold and powerful.

I wanted to talk about the themes and messages hidden under the skin of this outstanding blockbuster, but I believe I don’t have the skill or authority to dissect it to its full respect. I solely focus on the characters of movies because I understand it to the point of praise and discussion. The themes in this movie were deeper than its character depth due to its rich symbolism and large ideas that were executed so well to the point where they didn’t take control of the story. Some were easy to spot, and others were subtle but present enough to still have impact. This movie was not like Mad Max: Fury Road because that movie was made to be very simple and at least serve to be eye candy for enjoyment, War for the Planet of the Apes deserves personal conversation as well as attention to what it is trying to say. This movie deserves all the praise it gets, from its themes, to its breathtaking CGI, and to its vibrant characters. Not only was it the best movie I had seen all summer, but also the best end to a trilogy since the Return of the King, and that earns a standing ovation.

Also, this is the third installment of a very powerful trilogy that heavily relies on its predecessors, so if you want to go and see this movie, I recommend you watch the first two (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) before you go. They aren’t as big or as deep as this one, but they are equally powerful and the path of Caesar’s revolution is enticing.

Story Rating: 9.5/10

Character Rating: 10/10