Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes plans to rule on the big screen

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes plans to reign at the box office this weekend but will women run to the theaters on Mother's Day to see it? My guess is no, but this film is worth seeing on the big screen.

A great deal has happened since 2017 and War of the Planet of the Apes. In reality, the world has survived a pandemic so to have the idea of a manmade virus, even though COVID was not manufactured, can still be startling to many watching this film. Cinematically it's been 300 years after War.

Kingdom is the fourth franchise installment since the Planet of the Apes reboot and the tenth film overall. Luckily, there is not much homework necessary for Kingdom and the project is marketed as a “standalone sequel.”

Chimpanzee Noah is trying to live his best life, but many obstacles stand in his way. While Caesar is not around a new enemy has arisen named Proximus Caesar who is trying to take over the various clans throughout the earth.

Noah's journey is not entirely a lonely one as he is joined by the orangutan Raka and a human by the name of Mae. The three amigos are disjointed and don't always trust each other, but their distinctive personalities make them entertaining to watch.

Filming occurred in Australia and the jungle scenes are majestic making it a must to see on the biggest screen possible. The facial expressions of the primates add an emotional depth to each character with humanistic traits and reactions.

There is very little humor for most of the movie, but William H. Macy supplies some dry levity when he appears in later scenes.

The running time of almost two hours and a half is exhausting with a slow-moving first hour and the chopped cadence that many of the creatures speak can be a lesson in patience. It is easy to see what director Wes Ball is going for and it makes sense for the dialogue to be conveyed in broken sentences with the chimpanzees still learning to communicate, but viewers may feel held captive.

One monkey doesn't know how to stop the show and the ending isn't easy to understand, but the adventure along the way makes this trip to this Planet of the Apes worthwhile. The eagle has landed and Noah's arc could make cinephiles ravenous for more!

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes rides into theaters nationwide on May 10, 2024.