Matt Reeves
War for the Planet of the Apes

I'm probably unable to give an objective evaluation of what is the overall universe and now 'franchise' that has been built over the years on the imagery stemming from Pierre Boulle's novel 'Les Planète des Singes' and particularly from the first film inspired by it, the famous 'Planet of the Apes' by Franklin J. Schaffner.

This is because the film in question is not only one of my favorite cinematic works—this under all aspects, as I also personally have a certain preference for a kind of speculative science fiction—but it is also something that I consider a central work in what is my conceptual world and what I can modestly define as my own little personal 'cosmology', which clearly excludes considering the work solely from the traditional cinematic perspective.

A fundamental work of a certain science fiction typical of those years, symbolically critical and evocative in its contents with regard to the geopolitical context of the era, and particularly in reference to the fear of the possible outbreak of a third world war and nuclear conflict (a theme that seems forcibly back in vogue, even though nobody gives credibility to buffoons like Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un), 'Planet of the Apes' indeed carries a strong sociological content. This content would become a constant in the subsequent films released during those years, addressing a range of timeless ethical themes through the juxtaposition of primate evolution and human degeneration, which have made the film and the entire 'franchise' a 'classic' of the genre and cinema of those years. A highly significant work also on a purely iconographic level.

Starting obviously (it couldn't be otherwise) with the famous 'snapshot' of the final scene. One of the immortal scenes in the history of cinema and the Western culture of the last century.

Strongly revisited by Tim Burton with a decent film in 2001, the world created by Pierre Boulle has forcefully returned to the spotlight on the big screen starting in 2011 with this 'trilogy', of which 'War for the Planet of the Apes', released in Italian theaters last July and directed by director Matt Reeves, constitutes the third and final chapter.

Before diving into the heart of the film and discussing its contents, I pose a question of an ideological nature. Let me explain: where should we place the world of the planet of the apes within the macro-universe of science fiction? I have explained some of the reasons why I believe this series of films worthy of judgments and considerations that transcend the mere nature of entertainment. But it's undeniable that this last trilogy is generally much less rich in topics lending themselves to speculative discussions (if not in a derivative nature compared to the original corpus of the entire work), which might easily undermine my considerations. Thus, I think my previously expressed judgment should be considered more in relation to a certain Hollywood science fiction pre-Star Wars, i.e., before giant monsters, akin to Godzilla films, and laser swords became the core of USA-made sci-fi, radically revolutionizing the genre.

And this film, after all, is also largely a product of this American cinema aimed at spectacle, which prefers to prioritize action scenes and special effects that, let's face it, we no longer care about.

In this sense, novelties happen with such a frequency that we are no longer surprised by anything.

Everyone can say their own thing in this regard, but when someone tells me to go see a specific film for the 'special effects', I honestly don't understand.

Moreover: from this point of view, I sincerely think that the most significant and interesting visible innovations concern the world of animation.

Returning to the film, the story of this third chapter of the trilogy, begun in 2011 with 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' and continued in 2014 with 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes', delves into the events and sees Caesar once again opposed (the previous film was based on the conflict between Caesar and his antagonist Koba) to his ideal nemesis, which this time, instead of a fellow ape, is a human. We are clearly talking about a military figure. An American army colonel who kills Caesar's wife and one of his sons, unleashing an ancient thirst for revenge so fierce and overpowering that it almost makes him seem... human.

Thus, the film mostly reduces to an easy conflict between good and evil, where the good apes ultimately triumph over the bad humans, who are falling apart due to the spread of a virus working oppositely to the genetic medication that gave life to this new species of primates, of which Caesar is the progenitor, heading towards what seems to be inevitable destruction.

With such a clearly drawn distinction between good and evil, the director easily untangles the plot of the film, based exclusively on spectacular action scenes, and never really dares, even when he could, possibly raising highly moral issues that might even provoke some discomfort in the audience, who are instead reassured by the dynamic and whirlwind flow of events leading to the traditional happy ending. In a scene idyllically representing symbolic happiness, almost pastoral like landscapes recounted by Giovanni Pascoli or even further back by Virgil in 'The Bucolics', we witness this return to nature, where the apes are the only possible protagonists since humanity's time appears to be over.

Endless the citations to the other films in the series, as well as possible plot twists and also many open questions and interrogatives. But this is an aspect intended for a work that perhaps makes sense only if considered for the enjoyment of the genre's aficionados.

It's a pity nonetheless.

Because in a certain parallelism with 'Apocalypse Now', facilitated by a not extraordinary but still valuable performance by Woody Harrelson in the antagonist role, Caesar might have been able to change the inertia of the entire film with a single gesture. But the finger does not pull the trigger at the decisive moment and our hero, part warrior, part patriarch, forcibly chooses the path of forgiveness, confirming himself as the progenitor of a new and unprecedented, but apparently (judging by the film's plot) not at all unsettling chapter in the history of evolution and the species inhabiting our planet.