War for the Planet of the Apes Review

Director: Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes)

Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn

Plot: The war between the humans and the apes is still raging on. When the apes are attacked by a squad led by Woody Harrelson, they set out to take their revenge.

Review: The new Planet of the Apes trilogy has always been darker than most current summer blockbusters. They are gritty, deal with serious topics, and, of course, have to inevitably end with the apes taking over the world. And War for the Planet of the Apes is probably the darkest one yet. There are plenty of brutal war sequences, and disturbing scenes of slavery. This grittiness works in the movie's favor, creating an intense theatrical experience.
The movie's CGI is impressive throughout, and the apes always seem to be real. But the apes also seem real on a human level as well. Yes, this is a very emotional movie. The main character is driven by grief (over a few shocking deaths early in the film), and there are several other tragic elements throughout.
Woody Harrelson is great as this movie's villain, creating a convincingly evil character. And, as always, Andy Serkis does a good acting job in the motion capture suit.
In conclusion, War for the Planet of the Apes is an intense, emotionally gripping conclusion to what may be one of the best trilogies of this decade.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars