When Charlton Heston uttered those immortal words, “Keep your stinking paws off me, you filthy apes!” back in 1968, who would have known that over 50 years later, those apes would still be famous with the audience enough to allow them a new movie, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. After Any Serkis’s Caesar series ended (Rise, Dawn and War), we believed there would be no more. Until the time came for another trilogy of Ape movies. While this new film takes the genius of the Caesar movies, this is definitely a film of two halves.

Generations after Caesar’s demise, the quiet life of the Bird colony is shattered when a group destroys their land and removes the apes living there. Noa, the son of the camp’s elder, has to go on a journey with an Echo, the name the apes have given to humans, so he can find the truth about his past and the remainder of his community, which is held by the self-imposed king Proximus.

Wes Ball, who directed The Maze Runner series, has taken the thoughts and musing of Caesar to bring together a new story about how the famous ape wanted to bring change to the communities, but only if everyone agrees with it. Hence, the first act centres on this group of apes who hunt for eagle’s eggs to train them and have a giant bird in their arm. An exciting concept and one that works briefly until the attack that destroys Noa’s world. It’s at this point the film starts to falter.

As I said, the film falls into two halves. The first Noa’s journey, his befriending with an echo, Mae, and his realisation that Caesar was right about apes and humans living together until he is discovered and forced to join Proximus’s world, which has the giant ape walking around with a crown, using the words of Caesar for his own personal means. He also happens to be in control, although he cannot get inside a giant steel doorway, hoping to find something that he can use to be even more powerful.

Sad to say, Noa’s journey is the baggiest part of the film. At 2 hours and 30 minutes, it is far too long. Shortening the movie to 2 hours or under could have been the best of the series, as it has plenty to admire and enjoy. Instead, the long, often wordy conversations between Noa and a wise orang-utan go on far too long, and the bonding between the ape and Mae could do with a touch of a trim, too.

It’s only when we arrive at Proximus’ world and discover what’s behind door number one that the film really kicks into life, with some superior action sequences and a definite nod to the films still to come. It also has its tip of the hat to previous Ape movies, like Beneath, Battle and even the original.

The other question this film raises is whether it would survive without Andy Serkis’s superb Caesar? Thankfully, the cast does an excellent job without him. Owen Teague is a solid replacement as Noa, while Freya Allan is vital as the female Mae. The crowning glory is Kevin Durant’s Proximus, a towering monster of an ape with a raspy, grumbling voice to match.

As with the previous film, the effects steal the show. After some slightly dodgy CGI, you forget that you are watching something made in a computer room as you get used to watching these monkeys and the incredible scenery around them.

Kingdom isn’t terrible; it just needs to be trimmed in the edit. For future films to succeed, keep them brisk and short and keep the pacing up. Otherwise, it’s a reasonable entry into the series with a promising future.

3 out of 5

Director: Wes Ball

Starring: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, William H. Macy, Eka Darville, Travis Jeffrey, Neil Sandilands, Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi, Sara Wiseman

Written by: Josh Friedman, (based on characters created) Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver

Running Time: 145 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date: 9th May 2024