The latest installment in the long-running Planet of the Apes franchise, titled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, has arrived in theaters but fails to deliver a compelling new story according to reviews. Movie critics are finding the latest chapter to be an uninspired retread of familiar ground.
Set several generations after the events of previous films, Kingdom looks at a post-human world now ruled by intelligent apes. The story focuses on a young chimpanzee named Noa who must mature into a leader after his tribe is attacked. Noa embarks on a journey that exposes the fissures forming in ape society and brings him face to face with both enlightened and dangerous members of his kind.
While the visual effects capturing the ape characters are praised for their realism, most reviews note the plot hits the same predictable beats that fans have seen for decades. The film sticks closely to well-worn themes of power struggles, the dangers of propaganda, and cycles of violence between apes and the few remaining humans. With no fresh take on this dystopian future, Kingdom ultimately fails to bring anything new to the franchise according to reviewers.
Some critics did commend the movie's message about how leadership can corrupt absolute power. But most agree the dark and grim tone provides no entertainment value, dragging the two hour runtime. Fans of the classic Planet of the Apes may walk away unsatisfied with this latest installment for playing it too safe rather than taking risks to reinvigorate the series. Unless sequels can find new stories to tell, it seems this franchise may have finally run its course.
