'War for the Planet of the Apes' review: It's a philosophical twist to ape-y goodness

Movie - War of the Planet of the Apes

Director - Matt Reeves

Cast - Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Amiah Miller, Terry Notary, Toby Kebbell

What's it about - 

In the third installment of the revival of the trilogy based on Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel, Planet of the Apes, the enhanced ape leader Caesar (Andy Serkis) is now protecting his tribe against an army built by a fanatic Colonel (Woody Harrelson) who is hell-bent on giving the homo sapiens an edge over the apes. In the war, Caesar suffers personal loss and his will to avenge takes over the logical reasoning the now greying and mature ape is known for. What happens next is a layered commentary on the human nature with notes hitting right political notes.

What's hot - 

Caesar is fighting two battles at the same time. After the fall of thuggish human-hater Koba (Toby Kebbell) in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Caesar struggles to keep the peaceful compassionate demeanour. The continued life threatening attacks on the apes lead to constant battle and hiding. He cannot see more of his species falling even though they are not at fault. Therefore he finds himself giving into the merciless instinct that Koba embodied. The second battle is with the Colonel after the animalistic urge to avenge overpowers his sanity. 

The slow pace of the movie gives viewers a chance to understand the shifting point of views of the polar opposite characters who have the same goal in mind. Save their people. The Colonel tells Caesar, "There are times when it is necessary to abandon our humanity to save humanity." And later in the movie, Caesar shows mercy at the unexpected time making him more human. Screenplay writer Mark Bomback's story keeps questioning the legitimacy of everyone's cause and balances good-and-evil extremes. 

Woody Harrelson's fanatic black and white villain will give you chills, but it's Andy Serkis' nuanced performance that keeps you hooked. The trilogy is the glorious proof of the brilliance of his motion-capture mastery.

What's not - 

In the world of wham-bam summer blockbuster movies, War's pace does become a problem. Director Matt Reeves takes his sweet time in establishing the relationship between human child Nova (Amiah Miller) and Caesar and his sidekicks which could have been edited. Also due to the unavoidable demand of the script, the entire movie is heavily subtitled so that we mere humans can understand the ape communications. It becomes a distraction.

What's that -

Steve Zahn's zoo monkey, Bad Ape, is the comic relief this philosophical end to the trilogy needed.

What to do -

Don't expect ape-y goodness, you will be fine.

Ratings - ***