Early War for the Planet of the Apes Reactions Are Very Positive
Reactions to the upcoming sequel War for the Planet of the Apes are starting to come in on social media, and the verdict is that it is one of the best films of the summer. Back in 2011, Fox rebooted the iconic sci-fi property with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a surprise sleeper hit that introduced audiences to Andy Serkis as Caesar – a highly intelligent ape torn between two worlds. In 2014, Matt Reeves directed the sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which earned raves across the board for its deep, emotional story and revolutionary mo-cap performances. He returned to helm War, which looks to end Caesar’s story by depicting an all-out battle for the future of the planet.
Considering the previous two films in this series did very well with critics and audiences, expectations were understandably high for the threequel. This summer has already seen its fair share of clunkers, as several would-be tentpoles disappointed and failed to gain traction at the multiplex. Fortunately, that does not appear to be War‘s fate, as the first responses to the film are overwhelmingly positive.
Movie pundits are beginning to share their thoughts on social media, and everyone is in agreement it’s a triumph. Reeve’s filmmaking prowess, the great acting from the ape and human casts, and an emotional narrative are among the positives mentioned. You can see some of the tweets below:
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I'm still buzzing about it. This is not a typical tent pole film by any stretch. The emotional tension throughout is like a high wire.
— Kristopher Tapley (@kristapley) June 16, 2017
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Please go see this movie and see it again. Reward this kind of effort. Make Hollywood notice.
— Kristopher Tapley (@kristapley) June 16, 2017
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#WarOfThePlanetOfTheApes: the special effects are so seamless it's downright eerie. Makes case for future without proper actors.
— Nigel M. Smith (@nigelmfs) June 16, 2017
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If you thought you had no more feels left after @WolverineMovie, you are mistaken.#WarForThePlanet
— Grae Drake (@graedrake) June 16, 2017
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#WarForThePlanetOfTheApes is magical. Apes on horseback in blowing snow, nuanced acting by Apes & Humans! @mattreevesLA rules!
— Harry Knowles (@headgeek666) June 16, 2017
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It's OFFICIAL! #WarForThePlanetOfTheApes is AMAZING! Deep, dark, EPIC! RISE + DAWN + WAR = one of the BEST MOVIE TRILOGIES EVER! #HailCaesar pic.twitter.com/MEvaWumGUS
— Scott Mantz (@MovieMantz) June 16, 2017
It’s worth pointing out that War doesn’t reach theaters for another month (as of this writing), and Fox is already letting word spread to further anticipation. Considering the actual reviews are as strong as these 140-character responses, the studio should have a sizable hit on their hands come July. Dawn was able to parlay its buzz into $710.6 million worldwide, so executives will be hoping for similar results from War. The filmmakers are hoping to continue the franchise beyond this point with new stories, so it has to be encouraging for them that there’s such a passionate fan base for this series. The new Apes films have become one of the more unlikeliest success stories in recent years. When Rise was first announced, people were somewhat dubious, but the trilogy has become one of the more engaging and thoughtful put to film.
The fact that Reeves’ latest is such an unqualified hit bodes well for the future of the DC Extended Universe. Once Apes is done, the director will be shifting gears to make The Batman for Warner Bros., a hiring that was met with much excitement when it first happened. Since Reeves only continues to establish himself as a master of his craft, it’ll be very interesting to see how he brings Gotham City to life with Ben Affleck’s Caped Crusader at his side. In the meantime, it’s great to hear Caesar’s tale was brought to a riveting conclusion that lives up to its predecessors. This is one of the rare instances in the industry where all three entires are beloved.
