In 2011, Rupert Wyatt rebooted the classic "Planet of the Apes" franchise for the fourth time with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes". "The Batman" director Matt Reeves took it forward from there with "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and then 2017's "War for the Planet of the Apes".
Together, those three projects form — in my humble opinion — one of the strongest trilogies in recent blockbuster history. They combine sweeping action, emotive storytelling, and stunning motion capture acting and visual effects; all anchored around Andy Serkis' superintelligent chimpanzee, Caesar.
Earlier in 2024, Wes Ball picked up the reins and brought us the next chapter in this story: "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes", another epic journey that builds out the "Apes" world even further.
Even if it didn't quite reach the heights of its predecessors, and "Dune: Part Two" edges it out as the best science fiction movie of the year, I'd still strongly recommend it. And since "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" has just landed on Hulu (one of the very best streaming services available right now), now you can!
If you missed "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" and are considering checking it out on Hulu, here's some more information that should help you make your mind up.
What is 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' about?
"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is a sequel to the Rupert Wyatt/Matt Reeves "Apes" trilogy. Set three centuries on from the last chapter, it introduces us to a world where humankind has regressed owing to the Simian Flu and takes viewers on an epic journey alongside a new cast of characters that includes young chimpanzee, Noa (Owen Teague), Soona (Lydia Peckham), Raka (Peter Macon), Anaya (Travis Jeffery) and Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), and a brand new human focal figure, Nova (Freya Allan).
An official synopsis reads: "Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike."
Should you stream 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'?
In a word: yes. "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is a rewarding new chapter in this latest "Planet of the Apes" saga, one that boasts a compelling mix of world-building and action that delivers the breathtaking visuals you've come to expect from this modern reboot of the franchise as a whole.
On the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" currently holds an 80% approval rating from critics. While this does mean the movie's "Certified Fresh", it might not sound quite as impressive as some of the other movies we recommend with 90%+ scores.
However, when you consider that rating is drawn from over 300 reviews and you look at what some of the "Top Critics" are saying about the movie, you should see that score as a big endorsement not to skip "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes". And even critics who didn't love the movie still (rightly) heaped praise on "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" for its visual achievements.
Case in point: Tomris Laffly (of RogerEbert.com) gave the movie a 3.5/4 rating, saying it: "[W]alks securely in the footsteps of this recent legacy, wearing the Caesar-centric films' values like fairness, loyalty and communal solidarity on its sleeve with pride."
Likewise, IndieWire's David Ehrlich called it "a rewardingly cerebral journey", adding '[it] might lack the epic sweep or revolutionary fervor of the recent Matt Reevers movies that salvaged this series... but this well-honed adventure still manages to build on the best of their legacy, if largely because of its keen focus on the hard-fought lessons that have been forgotten from it".
And for TIME, James Grebey said: "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes", the first movie in seven years and the possible start of a new trilogy, has a chance to actually explore this world rather than be forced to establish it. Freed from being another stop on an essentially predetermined apocalypse narrative, the movie can tell a smaller story that builds up to being an epic."
If you're still not convinced, don't forget to check out our guide to the best movies on Hulu for even more streaming recommendations for your next movie night. And if you want to revisit some of the older classics, we've also rounded up how to watch the "Planet of the Apes" movies in order.
