War for the Planet of the Apes

What a pleasant surprise. A third instalment in a blockbuster franchise remake that actually holds up to the original. I would even say that of all nine Planet of the Apes movies and remakes (yes, I have seen all of them…), this one ranks as number 2, second only to the 1968 original.

War for the Planet of the Apes actually has a story and paces it such as to let it have effect on the viewer, something most blockbusters these days (Marvel in particular) seem to have forgotten how to do. We pick up the story some 15 years after Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, where most of the planet is now seemingly under ape control; Caesar -probably the most rounded role Andy Serkis has played to date- still leads the apes, and is wary of more more battles with the humans – who are still fighting hard. And as it turns out, their Colonel (an also excellent Woody Harrelson) isn’t only fighting the apes…

War for the Planet of the Apes actually has a story and paces it such as to let it have effect on the viewer, something most blockbusters these days (Marvel in particular) seem to have forgotten how to do.

There is plenty of action and impressive yet-not-distracting CGI, and a strong supporting score, if a bit forcefully sappy at times. But the most enjoyable thing is the character development. Caesar and the Colonel turn out not to be just the Noble Hero vs the Evil Colonel the movie present us with at the start. An enjoyable blockbuster it is.

★★★½