War For The Planet Of The Apes - movie review

War For The Planet Of The Apes

Plot: After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.
Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn
Director: Matt Reeves
Certificate: 12A (moderate violence, injury detail)
Runtime: 2hrs 20 mins
Release Date: Tuesday 11th July 2017

APES TOGETHER STRONG! Everytime Caesar declares that in any of these Apes movies, it gives me the best kind of chills. War For The Planet Of The Apes is the third entry into this recent series that began with Rupert Wyatt's Rise, continued with Matt Reeves taking over to make Dawn and now he concludes this trilogy with War. So basically, if one were to ever refer to this series of films, to save confusion by explaining where these films take place in the pantheon of Apes movies, it would be known as Rise Of The Dawn Of The War For The Planet Of The Apes.

He'd do anything to get rid of that zit.

I think I speak on behalf of the human race when I say "Academy! For the love of all that is holy, give Andy Serkis some form of awards recognition already." Whether it be a leading actor nomination (of which he is clearly worthy) or award him with a landmark achievement considering his work is developing and pioneering motion capture technology, this man needs something for crying out loud. Anything! I'd give him a trophy I got from Disney World if it meant something. Anyways, Serkis is a God when partnered with this technology and uses it as a canvas to provide some of the greatest and most authentic characterisation the likes of cinema has ever seen. Gollum/Smeagol will more than likely be remembered as the most iconic of his performances but personally, it has always been his turn as Caesar that has been the most impressive. For Serkis to accurately depict the bodily postures that Apes have, the intricate mannerisms and the erratic and physically demanding movements they perform, it's a masterclass. If you ever have some free time, I implore you to give the behind the scenes footage from Rise, Dawn and eventually War a watch. Believe me, it will blow you away to see actors crawl around on all fours in skintight pyjamas and that somehow transpires into, combined with the most realistic visual effects I think I've ever seen, a pack of Apes. Going back to Serkis, watching him develop as Caesar over the course of this trilogy is truly astonishing. What I would recommend to all before seeing War is to revisit Rise and Dawn so you're able to grasp the stakes and characters firmly because War doesn't have much set up. It makes the assumption that you have seen the previous installments and throws you into the deep end as we begin War. It's also vital to re-watch Rise and Dawn to see Caesar grow as a character from an almost pet-like animal to James Franco to now, a war hero who is seen by other apes as an almost biblical figure through carefully handled Christ-like imagery. 

It was at this moment he knew, he f****d up.

That's the other beautiful aspect to War that marks itself as my favourite of the recent Apes films - the scale. Both Rise and Dawn begin very contained and then increasingly gain tension and scale. Rise concludes with the massive attack on the Golden Gate bridge and Dawn wraps up with Caesar against Koba. War has that intensity and grandiose structure throughout. Even in the smaller scenes in which no human nor ape is fighting, there is still an epic feel to it. And here's a factor to War that some might not expect - the title 'WAR' is used in all of its definitions. There are sequences in this film that do apply to the terminology most pair alongside the word 'WAR' such as large battles amongst the humans, led by Woody Harrelson's fearsome Colonel. However, it's not the violent side of War we experience all the time. Matt Reeves doesn't shy away from detailing the terrifying after-effects of war and how either side can make the worst decisions imaginable. A significant portion of War is focused on Caesar and his unflinching desire to commit vengeance upon Harrelson after hitting Caesar at his most vulnerable. Through a series of hard hitting and emotional events, our own definition of WAR is challenged as there is little to no intense action sequences until the blistering finale. Instead, Reeves subjects the audience to a gruelling hell as we are introduced to an Ape POW camp that, under the control of angered and frightened humans, share some petrifying parallels to actual war atrocities like The Holocaust and the Vietnam War. For a summer blockbuster, Reeves and co have made the most thoughtful, emotional and unexpectedly dramatic mainstream flick made in decades.

The Snowman competition took a dark turn.

FACT: Will be the ninth feature film in the Planet Of The Apes franchise.

Despite a lack in action and fights, which is by no means a negative seeing as it's replaced with an emotional and powerfully driven story down in its core, when the action hits, it is unrelenting and brutal. The limits of its 12A certificate are certainly pushed to its limit and I probably wouldn't suggest taking the younger demographic to see this. This ain't your average Tarzan folks. Serkis is not the only actor giving it his all in a transformative performance as newcomer to the motion capture world, Steve Zahn, almost steals the movie from Serkis' capable hands. Zahn portrays a fresh face to this group that Serkis and his band of merry Apes discover along their journey. In what initially seems like a bad idea to have a comedic character in an otherwise dark movie, Zahn comes into his own as Bad Ape making him an instant fan favourite thanks to his wide-eyed expressions and adorable innocence. Zahn also shares a sweet bond to one of the few human characters, a young girl that our Apes incidentally encounter who has lost the ability to speak. Played wonderfully by Amiah Miller, she instantly strikes up a connection with Maurice, an Orangutan who acts as Caesar's closest friend, compatriot and serves as the heart and soul of this Ape rebellion. Watching Maurice, Bad Ape and Amiah's human proves that, within this war and ever changing world, these animals are showing more humanity that the humans currently are. The instincts have shifted and that's a testament to what war can do to people. Speaking of the human side, Woody Harrelson is our main focus whenever we aren't following Caesar and he reaches another level of evil here. As a human, I have a moral obligation to defend my kind but in this circumstance, I'm rooting for the Apes. We had our time. It was good while it lasted I guess. 

I guess there's no umbrellas in an apocalyptic war.

Whenever we see The Colonel and Caesar interact either behind a wire fence or face to face, their clash of ideals is astounding and as an audience member and human being, you yourself are tasked with deciding who you side with. Obviously the Apes are the heroes in this story but that's not necessarily to say that Harrelson and his army are as clear cut villains as one would initially perceive. Their reasoning, albeit homicidal and diabolical, can be understood. It makes sense as to why the human race would react in such a way and I'd go so far as to say that if this were a genuine real life situation, human beings would probably act in the way we see this film document. History has already proven the anger and contempt that some humans can hold against others and how that leads to mankind's greatest atrocities. As well as the profound and thought-provoking story elements that can be unexpected to those who thought they were going into War simply to watch a typical war film with nonstop action, it's the technical aspects to this film that continue to elevate it to one of this year's best. With stunning cinematography that encapsulates war at its most shocking, violent and destructive, War For The Planet Of The Apes lands itself not only as one of the most tragically beautiful films in recent memory but also solidifying itself, alongside Rise and Dawn, to become one of the most exceptional trilogies the world of cinema has seen. War also provides a thumping and almost Neanderthal-like score by Michael Giacchino. Considering his career has already spanned classic franchises like Jurassic World, Spider-Man and Star Trek, consider this a bold claim to say that his work for War might just be his best yet. In scenes crammed with tension and adventure, Giacchino's music brings everything you are witnessing to life in the most extraordinary way possible. And needless to say, the visual effects for every Ape and their surroundings/battlefield are without a doubt, the most mind-blowing to date. I began to lose count how many times I was having to remind myself that these weren't real Apes. There aren't any practical suits nor extensive makeup and prosthetics. What you see is entirely CGI created and it never fails to amaze me. Simply put, the work from this trilogy has helped revolutionise cinema for good.

There's no joke here. Just watch in awe.

Ten years from now, if someone were to ask me what the best movie trilogies are, I would answer "Toy Story, Back To The Future, Nolan's Dark Knight films and Rise Of The Dawn Of The War For The Planet Of The Apes". Amazing from the opening shot to the final moment in which this trilogy concludes in spectacular fashion, War is an epic for the ages that combines magnificent action and bundles of heart. It's not a simple movie. This is complex, complicated and challenging to experience but then again, so is war itself. In all honesty, I would say that War For The Planet Of The Apes is merely millimetres away from becoming a masterpiece. Yeah, it's that good.

My Verdict: 9.5/10

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