The much-touted sci-fi flick “War for the planet of the Apes” has drawn both praise and flak from different types of audiences. There are the regular viewers who expect to glean something profound or insightful from the film.
There are also the “Planet of the Apes” fanatics longing for another action-packed flick featuring Caesar, the franchise’s hero. On the other hand, there are individuals interested in seeing the outcome of tech wizardry.
Being the last part of a trilogy that comprises the “Planet of the Apes” franchise, “War for the Planet of the Apes” faced a big challenge as far as satisfying audiences’ high expectations, and breaking box-office records of the two previous films are concerned.
Nonetheless, the third installment had massive promotional push.
Behind-the-scenes footages
In late 2015, special behind-the-scenes clips were shown, and by April 2016, the first teaser trailer was released. The lead actors, including Andy Serkis, actively promoted the film at an event in New York City.
When the movie premiered in certain countries, the “Planet of the Apes” fanatics who were happy to see Caesar again raved about it. The third film epitomizes film artistry aided by tech wizardry. It is the product of the sheer hard work of the creative and production teams as well as the director.
Many viewers can relate well with the deep emotional bond that can be formed when animals and humans interact, or with values like loyalty particularly towards one’s own kind.
There were, of course, audiences who felt that “War for the Planet of the Apes” was a letdown despite the sterling performances of the actors; the inclusion of universal themes like blinding thirst for power, love for family, hope and unity; and even the use of a post-apocalyptic setting.
There were poignant scenes, but many viewers noted as well that it took quite some time for the story to really unfold and after the opening scene.
Much screen time was devoted by “War for the Planet of the Apes” to new human characters, particularly the sweet-faced girl ravaged by a virus, as portrayed by young actress Amiah Miller. Woody Harrelson plays a pivotal role as the ruthless Special Forces Colonel.
Cutting-edge tech leads to epic transformations
Andy Serkis, who reprises his role as Caesar with ease, delivers another award-worthy performance.
The bankable actor’s transformation into Caesar using cutting-edge technology generated much attention through social media. Indeed, the film producers pushed technology to the limit.
The filmmakers used motion capture to create the realistic scenes of the apes as they traveled through snow. They mentioned in interviews that the challenges faced were big as they digitally recreated apes walking in snow. Unknown to movie audiences, the whole thing entailed sheer logistics.
In terms of storyline, “War for the Planet of the Apes” is bound to satisfy a wide range of viewers, even if the overall tone of the film is bleak. It is a film project that carries on the tradition bequeathed by its predecessors in a very promising way.
