© 20th Century Studios
Today the new opus of a particularly popular film saga is released. Planet of the Apes is an iconic saga for all science fiction fans. There are movies, TV series, video games and even comics!
In 1968, the first film adaptation of Pierre Boulle's novel was a success. The feature film even won the honorary Oscar for best makeup. This first foray onto the big screen paved the way for many other films. For more than five decades, Planet of the Apesthrills many science fiction fans. But while the saga has been treated to numerous remakes, reboots and spin-offs, we wonder how it could really be renewed. This is the difficult task of Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom. We tell you if the saga has succeeded in this review.
A fresh wind for the saga
Planet of the Apes: the New Kingdom makes us an original proposal. Far from the remakes and other reboots that we feared, this film brings a new stone to the building. The science fiction saga launched by Pierre Boulle is enriched and we can only rejoice!
This is the starting point of a new era. After the last trilogy, Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdommeets us 300 years after the death of Caesar. His legacy is undeniable, but three centuries after his disappearance, new generations have forgotten to whom they owe their evolution. Other monkeys have completely distorted his teachings in order to set up an empire and reign in terror. The goal of this tyrannical leader ? Enslave other groups of primates in order to find human technology and accelerate their evolution. After an attack by these bloodthirsty monkeys, young Noa is forced to undertake a perilous journey to save his family. A journey that led him to question the past but also the future that awaits his species.
The idea is refreshing and relevant. While Caesar is only a distant memory, his shadow still looms over this feature film. The plot of Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdomis interesting. We meet new characters and new issues. But the footage struggles to create a link between these protagonists and the spectators. It's difficult to become fully attached to Noa, the young rebellious monkey, Raka, the wise orangutan or even Nova, a human who crosses their path in their quest.
Subscribe to Lemon Squeezer
A jagged rhythm
Despite a fundamentally interesting plot, Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom suffers from a few shortcomings. So The New Kingdom is in the title of this new feature film, we won't see any enough. The film takes its time to immerse us back into the world of the saga and allow us to better understand the issues at stake. Which is not a bad thing, of course. However, some scenes would have deserved to be shortened in favor of longer moments in this new kingdom.
The Rhythm of Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdomis too uneven. It is precisely because the new kingdom is so important and so interesting that we come out of the dark room with the impression of being left wanting more and of not having seen enough. Some questions remain about this part of the film.
More generally, Planet of the Apes: the New Kingdom takes too much time. Its duration of 2h25 is not necessarily justified. The film would have benefited from ejecting around twenty minutes so as not to get lost along the way.
Breathtaking visual effects
If Planet of the Apes: the New Kingdom has some flaws, we would almost forget them in a snap of our fingers when faced with its impressive visual effects. It's difficult to remain unmoved by the work accomplished by Weta, the company responsible for bringing the feature film's primates to life.
© 20th Century Studios
This new film is a real visual slap in the face. The settings are majestic, the special effects glue us to our place but it is above all the realism of the characters that amazed us. Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom takes our breath away, we almost think we can touch Noa's fur. The feature film does not disappoint those who want to flatter their retinas. When we think of the first films in the saga, the path traveled is striking.
Verdict: a film that will delight fans
Finally, Planet of the Apes: the New Kingdom should appeal to fans of the early saga. The visual effects are its real strength, as well as a rather refreshing plot despite some length, characters who are not necessarily endearing and an uneven pace.
If you like the saga and want to enjoy it, Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom should do beat your heart.
📍 To not miss any news from Presse-citron, follow us on Google News and WhatsApp.