On Friday, 20th Century Fox unveiled the first trailer for the science fiction epic War for the Planet of the Apes. The third installment of the rebooted Charlton Heston classic looks to continue the trend of the new series being way better than it has any right to be.
2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a critical and financial smash, as Andy Serkis delivered an Oscar-worthy motion-capture performance as Caesar the ape. 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes expanded the narrative, adding new emotional depth while providing exhilarating action. The latest installment is an all-out war between apes and humans.
The plot apparently picks up following Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Caesar and his fellow apes are left dealing with the repercussions of Koba starting a war against the humans. Soldiers are now trying to pick off the primates one-by-one, resulting in no choice but for the apes to fight back against them. The main antagonist, a menacing-looking colonel played by Woody Harrelson, is hellbent on destroying the apes and reclaiming the earth once again in a last stand effort.
Woody Harrelson, looking as menacing as ever.
There’s plenty of explosions, gunfire, and ape-on-human combat. The footage delivers on the film’s name. Cheesy narration aside (we get it, they’re trying to prevent a planet of the apes) War for the Planet of the Apes may once again deliver a sequel, better than its already impressive predecessor.
War for the Planet of the Apes has a tough tightrope to walk, attempting to blend itself into the 1968 original while remaining fresh for today. With Matt Reeves’ stellar direction, changing up the cast entirely from film-to-film and making the stakes feel real, War of the Planet of the Apes is justifiably one of the most anticipated films of 2016. Andy Serkis in mo-cap as Caesar is something you just can’t miss. Caesar and his comrades will fight for the planet July 17, 2017.
