War for the Planet of the Apes

"First of all, it was a complete coincidence that I watched this movie on the 24th of September, 2024, World gorilla Day. I didn't do that on purpose. Second of all, I give this movie four stars because of the usual reason I give these ape series movies four stars: the look of the apes, primates, and chimpanzees. The actors behind the masks, Andy Serkis and Steve Zahn gave the apes human looking emotions. Third and last, this movie is definitely about war and revenge. I am not sure why the director wanted to make such a dark movie about apes. Woody Harrison plays the role of a driven military leader who decides he will just massacre the ape population because of a misguided sense of justice. The movie is violent, and certainly not for young children to watch. There were a few funny and tender moments between humans and apes showing their mutual respect for one another, but overall, this is certainly a story of revenge, power, and redemption. I know that is a strange thing to type about an ape movie, but if you decide to watch it, you may be similarly affected. "

"The final film of the first reboot trilogy as the war between the humans and apes comes to a head, when a squad breaches Caesars home killing many apes!! He takes a journey to the great world to find who sent death to his clan while meeting new companions and understanding a new twist to the world of humans that began in the first film!!"

"That CGI was done crazy well. And Woody Harrelson fits his role quite well too."

"Gotta say, definitely had it's parts but it was just a sad movie from the start to the end...."

"The masterful conclusion to a perfect trilogy"

"Maybe not as good as the first two, but still a good end to the trilogy. Caesar might be the best character in cinema "

"This is an incredible film to round out this trilogy to date. I was fixated from the beginning of the first prequel through the end of this film. I give this whole set 9 out of 10."

"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"

"4½⭐/5⭐ (KEY PLOT SPOILER) + The final entry in the Caesar Trilogy of the Planet Of The Apes prequels is easily the most refined. It cuts loose what didn't work in the previous movies, stregthens what did, and adds deeper contextual dimensions into the already gripping narrative arc for Caesar. I felt like DAWN ended on a blunt note with Caesar disowning Koba as an ape and writing him off as a monster, but in WAR, Caesar sees how much like Koba he is when an Colonel kills his wife and older son. His rage consumes him, setting him out to take his revenge. This thread somewhat addresses my issue with the climax of the previous movie, which left me questioning if treating Koba the way he treated humans was the way to go. WAR gives a more nuanced perspective on that issue and adds a stirring dimension to Caesar himself in the process. I have praised Andy Serkis in my other reviews, but in this one it's worth noting his supporting actors who help to elevate his character's development to bigger heights. There isn't a weak performance in the entire film. The standout human performance (Harrelson as The Colonel) is not wasted, unlike Oldman in DAWN. Even Steve Zahn as Bad Ape is wonderful and brings a much needed comedic dimension while still carrying a tender sadness that helps him offer more to the plot and story. Visually, I appreciate not just how amazing this movie is, but how it builds on the previous technology. RISE wasn't my favorite in terms of SFX, but I can appreciate the foundation it laid for the two that followed. When it worked it REALLY worked, and when it didn't it was a little distracting. In this movie, I thought the SFX weren't just great, but also helped to service the overall story. WAR is a great conclusion to the trilogy in every way. - Sometimes the score plays over emotional beats that would work best without an orchestra. Sometimes less is more. Too much of it and you can practically hear Hollywood telling us that we should be crying."

"So much to love about this movie: a satisfying finale to the trilogy, a great score, and a powerful storyline where the apes are at their best here compared to the entire trilogy."