Review of War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) by Thomas B — 18 Jan 2018

****.

Having really liked all the other entries in the franchise, particularly the first, I expected to at least like 'War for the Planet of the Apes'. But director Matt Reeves has completely flawed me with this one. I have no qualms in calling this movie an epic finale, and it's easily one of the best films of 2017. The CGI is spectacular, as we've come to expect, but the real surprises came with the approach the movie took. It would have been very easy for Reeves and Co. to go for an action-heavy, balls-out spectacular considering this is the third in the trilogy, but no. He takes the approach I wish other Hollywood directors would, and focuses on character. The performances also contribute to this, with all of them - human and ape - doing an absolutely terrific job. Woody Harrelson is easily the most compelling human character this series has had since James Franco in the original, and he ate up every scene he was in with his mere presence. The score, the direction, the cinematography...everything was top-notch. It's quite long, but who cares? What a fantastic end (?) to an excellent trilogy.