Ep. 774 - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (GUEST: Roxana Hadadi)
May 14, 2024
auto_awesome
Roxana Hadadi, from Vulture, joins as they review 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'. They discuss Baby Reindeer, La Chimera, Dark Matter, and the charm of each. The episode includes a mix of stalker drama, traversing worlds, and engaging with the history of Planet of the Apes.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes offers a mix of homages to the original films and surprising plot twists.
Character development issues hamper the impact, with inconsistencies in portrayal and narrative gaps.
The film struggles to balance conflicting themes and transitions, affecting the overall storyline cohesion.
Exploring complex ideas but failing to fully commit results in a weakened engagement for the audience.
Deep dives
Is late night with the devil a must-see movie?
Late Night with the Devil is available on Shudder and offers a well-made, tasteful exorcism story. It may not be terrifying, but it delivers a compelling narrative with good acting.
Exploring the story behind Bodkin on Netflix
Bodkin on Netflix features Will Forte in a slow-moving mystery about a missing persons case in Ireland. The show offers beautiful cinematography of the Irish countryside, but the pacing may not fully captivate viewers.
Mixed Feelings and Character Issues
The movie suffers from character issues, particularly with Noah lacking compellingness and May's confusing motives. The narrative gaps from the time period between wars and this movie are glaring, leaving the audience questioning human motivations and the trajectory of the plot. The potential of Proxima Caesar's character as a foil is squandered with his abrupt removal, leaving key story elements unexplored.
Religious Divide and Conflicting Themes
An interesting theme emerges around the corruption and manipulation of teachings over 300 years, sparking a religious divide. However, the portrayal of humans is inconsistent, leading to confusion about their roles and intentions. Noah's passivity and lack of agency hamper his engagement in the narrative, and the film dabbles in complex ideas without fully committing to a coherent exploration.
Original Homages and Narrative Ambiguity
The movie features clear homages to the original 1960s Planet of the Apes films, borrowing significant scenes and ideas. The plot unfolds with surprises, such as the revelation of May as an advanced human able to speak, and the quest to unearth human technology for domination. However, narrative gaps and lack of character development, especially with Noah and May, weaken the overall impact of the story.
Uneven Character Focus and Narrative Execution
Character roles appear unbalanced, with May taking over as the central figure despite lacking clear motivations. The shift to emphasize the human plight in the third act disrupts the established ape-centric narrative, diluting the core strength of the series in exploring the ape-human conflict. The film struggles to reconcile conflicting themes, resulting in an uneven and occasionally confusing storyline.
The Tragic Incident with the Coffee Table
In the movie, a couple buys an unsightly coffee table with naked lady statuettes supporting the glass top. While the wife finds it ugly, the husband insists on it. As he assembles the table, he realizes a missing part to secure the glass. The wife goes grocery shopping, leaving him with the baby, who starts crying uncontrollably. In a harrowing turn of events, the baby's cries suddenly stop off screen, hinting at a tragic accident where the baby is seemingly decapitated on the coffee table.
Navigating the Unthinkable Aftermath
Following the unimaginable incident, the husband grapples with the aftermath, exploring how to handle the situation. His decisions become increasingly fraught as he tries to come to terms with the devastating consequences. The movie delves into the complexities of his reactions and choices, painting a dark and chilling exploration of the aftermath of the tragic event.
David, Devindra, and Jeff sink into the stalker drama of Baby Reindeer, unearth the charm of La Chimera, and traverse worlds with Dark Matter. Then, Roxana Hadadi joins us for our review of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Check out Roxana’s writing over at Vulture.
We're making video versions of our reviews! Be sure to follow us on the following platforms:
Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate only) What we've been watching (~00:25:33)
David - Baby Reindeer, The Coffee Table, Planet of the Apes (1968)
Devindra - La Chimera, Dark Matter, Late Night with the Devil, Black Twitter
Jeff - Dark Matter, Bodkin, Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die
Featured Review (~01:16:59)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes SPOILERS (~01:33:54)
Support David's artistic endeavors at his Patreon and subscribe to his free newsletter Decoding Everything. Check out Jeff Cannata’s podcasts DLC and We Have Concerns. Listen to Devindra's podcast with Engadget on all things tech. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Also, follow us on Twitter @thefilmcastpod.
Credits:
Our theme song is by Varsity Blue, the newest project byTim McEwan from The Midnight. This episode was edited by Noah Ross who also created our weekly plugs and spoiler bumper music. Our Slashfilmcourt music comes from Simon Harris.
