The latest sequel takes place generations after the reign of Caesar, when apes are the dominant species. After one clan is attacked by evil primates, one young ape (Owen Teague) escapes for a journey that involves the future of his species. If the CGI didn’t look so convincing, this could just be an animated film. Fortunately, the performances are convincingly real and expressive. There’s basically only one human (Freya Allan), but the majority of the interactions are among the ruling species. Just like the previous 2 films in the current series, this is more a political drama and personal adventure than it is an action flick. Of course, there’s some spectacular scenery and one final encounter. Even though this version is slowly paced and could be shorter, it’s genuinely compelling. BTW, the ending is an obvious setup for the next in the franchise. 
(3.5 / 5)
