During the war the apes suffer inconceivable losses that causes Caesar begin his own mythical quest to avenge his kind after he has to wrestle with his darker instincts.
Hints at cultural relevance-a madman must build at wall at all costs to keep other humans out-however well-intentioned as commentary blurt like sound cannons.
Reeves makes the most of the setting, bringing dynamism and visual variety to the plot's different episodes, which include several excellent action sequences... Yet there's a deeper lack of momentum in the film.
With its allusions to Shakespeare, Joseph Conrad, the Bible, American slavery and the civil-rights movement, "War" may not be subtle but it's ultimate proof that summer sequels and blockbusters don't have to be brain-dead bottom-feeders either.
We've been trained to think Caesar is noble, Koba is flawed, and the Colonel is evil. The truth is that Caesar is flawed, Koba is a victim, and the Colonel is weak.
Serkis has invented an entirely new medium of performance - one that pushes the series into a realm that would have blown poor George Taylor's mind even more than a half-buried Lady Liberty.
