Reviews Are In For New “Apes” Film ‘Kingdom’

20th Century Studios

20th Century Studios has revived its ‘Apes’ franchise and now the reviews are in. With 79 reviews counted, the film stands at a very positive 86% (7.2/10) on Rotten Tomatoes.

To put that in comparison, that’s behind the two Matt Reeves-directed sequels – ‘Dawn’ at 91% (7.9/10) and ‘War’ at 94% (8.2/10) – but ahead of Rupert Wyatt’s ‘Rise’ at 82% (7.2/10).

The Wes Ball-directed film unfolds several generations after ‘War’ and the death of Caesar. Apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows.

As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for all.

Here’s a sampling of reviews:

“Considering how effortlessly Ball returns us to this riveting, sweeping universe, those next instalments can be eagerly anticipated.” – Tim Grierson, Screen

“Fans of the franchise should find much to enjoy in this very solid new installment, which points the way forward to a potential new recalibration of the human-ape balance.” – David Rooney, THR

“It doesn’t have a cast of big-name stars. Yet though the movie is too long, I was more gratified than not to sink into its relatively old-fashioned dramatic restraint.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

“What makes “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” powerful, in the end… [is that] it probes how the act of co-opting idealisms and converting them to dogmas has occurred many times over” – Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times

“‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is such a rewardingly cerebral journey because of its refusal to dictator-shame its villain or offer a clear alternative for the apes forced to serve at his mercy.” – David Ehrlich, Indiewire

“Sincerity and conviction are now rare qualities in the blockbuster field, but this is a film that puts its monkey where its mouth is.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

“The final act is a mess and juggles four or five plot lines before settling on a dire jump-the-shark moment featuring Noa and a troop of warbling monkeys.” – Kevin Maher, Times

“An intermittently entertaining but ultimately fruitless exercise in franchise expansion.” – Alonso Duralde, The Film Verdict

Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Peter Macon, Eka Darville, Dichen Lachman, William H. Macy and Kevin Durand star in the film which opens on Friday.

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