The first reviews for 'War for the Planet of the Apes' are bloody brilliant
War for the Planet of the Apes may not have much love for humans, but human critics definitely love War for the Planet of the Apes.
The first reviews are in, and by most accounts the last chapter of the Apes prequel trilogy is the best one yet. In a summer crammed of expensive CG-heavy blockbusters, director Matt Reeves and star Andy Serkis have managed to make theirs stand out.
Here are a smattering of the (mostly glowing) reviews:
A new high for summer blockbusters:
Eric Kohn, Indiewire:
Rebooted franchises reek of cheap Hollywood cash grabs, but in light of those expectations, the refurbished “Planet of the Apes” franchise pulls off a minor miracle. With “War for the Planet of the Apes,” technological wizardry and first-rate storytelling combine into a bracing action-adventure that concludes the best science fiction trilogy since the original trio of “Star Wars” movies.
Julia Alexander, Polygon:
War for the Planet of the Apes isn't just a near perfect example of what a summer blockbuster should look like, but rather of what all films should aspire to accomplish.
Andy Serkis deserves that Oscar:
Mike Ryan, Uproxx:
Serkis has been mentioned in the past as someone who should be recognized by the Academy Awards for his acting ability while doing this motion capture work. War For the Planet of the Apes will solidify that argument – because Caesar carries this film and that doesn’t happen without Serkis. Serkis’ Caesar is much more human than any human character. (Of course, this will never happen. But Serkis does give what will be one of the best acting performances of the year.)
Shit gets dark:
Bilge Ebiri, The Village Voice:
Reeves likes his stuff dark — visually, thematically, narratively — and now he’s plunged us headlong into the gloom. War for the Planet of the Apes is certainly the most melancholy tentpole since…well, since Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
And it looks great:
Alonso Duralde, The Wrap:
It’s not just the CG that’s visually impressive here; “War” boasts some extraordinary set pieces, from the ape cave hidden behind a waterfall to the frost-covered abandoned ski resort to the Colonel’s base of operations, complete with a set of complex underground tunnels. The analog artistry here offers as much detail and skill as the digital.
But why so serious?:
Matt Prigge, Metro:
Still, “Apocalypse Now” is definitely more fun. “War” is about as heavy as “Dawn.” Even the monkey mayhem is po-faced. There are few jokes, and one of them is a super-dumb gag about looking through binoculars the wrong way, which even your corny grandfather would find too corny. (A shout-out, though, to Steve Zahn, who, as a traumatized ex-zoo chimp, seems to be doing a spot-on impersonation of the great Elisha Cook Jr.)
Kristy Puchko, Comic Book Resources:
I admire Reeves’ ambition. Everything from the sprawling action sequences, to the resounding orchestral score, and even the straight-faced seriousness of his apes speaks to his respect for this property. He clearly set out to make not just a summer blockbuster that’d thrills audiences, but also one that the Academy Awards might see as a grand drama on the same level of the films it earnestly references, like Apocalypse Now and The Ten Commandments. But amid all his big ideas, Reeves lost touch with the property’s humanity, creating an impressive but cold epic.
War for the Planet of the Apes hits theaters July 14.
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