Tropic Sprockets / War for the Planet of the Apes

By Ian Brockway

Matt Reeves directs the latest chapter in the “Apes” franchise, entitled “War for the Planet of the Apes.” This time it points to all out chaos with no mercy intended. While short on surprise (especially after two earlier films) this chapter still holds its charge, largely due to its excellent cast: Andy Serkis, Steve Zahn and Woody Harrelson.

Since the last film, the war between the humans and the apes has sadly intensified. Ceasar (Serkis), the beloved ape from the first two films, is in charge of the ape warriors. He is more than ready for the huge conflict to end but there is one big obstacle in the form of a bloodlusting warlord who vows to destroy every single simian from Planet Earth.

After a human attack, which kills his wife and son, Caesar insists that his group go without him to find peace out west.

With three others, he gallops on horseback to have it out with the callous man known as The Colonel (Harrelson) a huge bulge of a being, modelled it appears after Kurtz from “Apocalypse Now,” also a colonel.

On a search mission, Caesar finds a human girl (Amiah Miller), and Maurice (Karin Konoval) cannot bear to leave her behind. Later, they happen upon an abandoned store and find a recluse ape (wonderfully incarnated by Zahn) who only wants both factions to be happy and peaceful.

The ape expressions are once again very moving and potent. Most every shot of an ape’s face is filled with emotion. Harrelson also does a solid job as a soldier who spits metal and feels pathetic in his lust for power. His performance veers dangerously close to camp (after all, Brando did it first)  but happily it misses when Harrelson delivers a bitter and pained monologue. The iconic actor manages to put it all into his distinctive voice.

If there is one criticism regarding this episode, it is that all of the action takes so long to get going. There are endless reaction shots from ape to ape and human to ape and several subtitle scenes. By midway, the narrative slows. But this is only a slight reservation.

Like “Kong: Skull Island,” “War for the Planet of the Apes” tells us that military combat often solves next to nothing and  suffering is universal no matter what your native species happens to be.

A simian face is worth a thousand words.

Write Ian at [email protected]

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