War For The Planet Of The Apes will undoubtedly show us more of the descent of man and the ascendancy of apes in the science-fiction franchise’s epic of a near future apocalypse. This film takes place some two years into the war that we saw on the horizon at the close of 2014’s Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. And that war appears to have taken its toll on Caesar (Andy Serkis), as he appears to be more hardened by his struggles to keep the growing number of intelligent apes safe from the humans (led this time by Woody Harrelson) and their attempts to exterminate them.
I have to hand it to Twentieth Century Fox. Their relaunch of the Planet Of The Apes franchise has brought us some solid, smart science-fiction. And this latest installment is giving every indication – from the material that was previewed at New York Comic Con last fall forward – that this installment will continue that tradition. It almost makes me wonder how the studio could have messed up so badly with some of their other franchises… (*cough*FantasticFour*cough*)
Here’s the official studio synopsis –
In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.
War For The Planet Of The Apes also stars Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller, Karin Konoval, Judy Greer and Terry Notary. It opens in theaters on July 14th.
