When War for the Planet of the Apes ended, I froze. I stood motionless in my chair and stunned at what I had just witnessed: a fantastic movie, full of emotion, that defies everything that supposedly should be a big budget blockbuster. And it's about a planet of apes.
The story of the film is not too complex, but each character has its own role. The relationships between them are really important, the scenes have consequences that are not limited to the simple show and the characters know how to take the story. This great feature shows the astonishing work created with a great effort, from the fantastic special effects artists of Weta Digital to the human actors under the CGI. These actors give so much of themselves that their emotions can be felt under the digital skin of each of the apes; Providing every moment, whether human or simian, a personal touch.
Set two years after the end of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, we see that Caesar (Andy Serkins) and his apes have spent a long time fighting the soldiers summoned at the end of the film. However, just when they seem to have found a way out, a colonel (played by Woody Harrelson) manages to try to defeat the apes, and Caesar is forced to overcome that challenge.
But make no mistake: despite the simple story, War for the Planet of the Apes is not the typical summer blockbuster. It's not fun. It's a dark film. The characters die, suffer and are tortured. Genocide, slavery, selfishness, heroism are evoked; But also all the good things that allow people or, sometimes, apes to survive and overcome those atrocities.
In the middle of everything is Caesar, again masterfully played by Andy Serkis. In War for the Planet of the Apes we see a different aspect of the character, one that we had not met in the previous films: his evil side. Here, his selfishness triggers many adversities, and it becomes increasingly difficult to be on his side. As the story progresses, the public will not always sympathize with Caesar. Moreover, the film seeks to question how different he is from the colonel. This is one of the elements that make the film's history complex.
That complexity is conducted brilliantly by director Matt Reeves. From the first scenes, which recapitulate briefly and poetically the first two films, Reeves is in complete control of the tone of the film, the characters and history in general. Its precision is remarkable: it dominates both the quiet scenes and the sequences of action. It can even make us afraid of our own thoughts. The director explains the plot organically and subtly in the scenes, but also conveys everything we need to know without needing to say a single word.
Much of Reeves' success stems from the splendid use of the soundtrack of composer Michael Giacchino. The movie is moving fast, but the music helps make everything feel cohesive, fluid and moving.
Although brilliant and powerful, War for the Planet of the Apes is much more a historical drama than an action movie. Just as you have to be in a proper frame of mind to digest movies like Schindler's List or 12 years of slavery, War for the Planet of the Apes has the same tone. Rarely does the movie become "funny" (if it ever does).
But although the movie is not fun, this is not a problem. It's supposed to be like this. War for the Planet of the Apes is meant to make us feel emotions, pain and rejoicing, and it does so in a grand and dramatic way, with the most amazing visual effects you've ever seen. It's a special movie, a wonderful sequel and definitely one of the best films of the year.
This has been my small critical contribution to this movie, now I would like to know your opinion to expand the analysis. Please vote and comment!
Regards, Antonio.