Wes Ball takes the directorial reins of this kick-off for a new Apes trilogy, with the story picking up generations after the time of Caesar (but with his legacy still being felt), following a young male ape Noa as he crosses paths with a seemingly-feral human girl Mae in his quest to find and rescue his family from a gang of ape raiders. Part coming-of-age tale, part-exploration of the apes' ideologies and continuation of the man vs apes saga, sound storytelling is realised through an extraordinary fusion of seamless FX technology, effective character-building and a dollop of genuine emotion. The film is beautifully shot and scored throughout, led by an excellent mo-cap performance by Owen Teague as Noa. There is a deliberate contrast between the dynamic action set-pieces and the stillness and near-silence of the scenes that display how nature has overtaken civilisation that almost wallows in the melancholy of what man has lost. Not only does the film tell the central story of Noa's journey well, but it also offers an interesting third act challenge and sets up future films. The big set-pieces undoubtedly deliver, but it is perhaps the more reflective nature of this particular film in the series that scores highly.
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