In 2011, Rupert Wyatt rebooted the classic "Planet of the Apes" franchise for the fourth time with "Planet of the Apes: New Century" Director Matt Reeves, of "Batman," went on from there to "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and then to 2017's "War for the Planet of the Apes"

Together, these three projects form the strongest trilogy in recent blockbuster history Centered around Andy Serkis' super-intelligent chimpanzee Caesar, the film combines epic action, emotional storytelling, and stunning motion-capture acting and visual effects

In early 2024, Wes Ball took the reins and brought us the next chapter of this story: "Planet of the Apes: Kingdom" is an epic journey that further expands the world of "Apes"

Even if it doesn't reach the heights of its predecessor, and even if it doesn't match "Dune: Part 2" as the best science fiction film of the year, I highly recommend it Also, "Planet of the Apes: The Kingdom" is now available on Hulu (one of the best streaming services available today), so you can watch it now

If you missed "Planet of the Apes" and are considering checking it out on Hulu, here's some information to help you make up your mind

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is the sequel to the Rupert Wyatt/Matt Reeves "Apes" trilogy Set three centuries after the previous chapter, the film introduces us to a world where humanity has been regressed by simian flu, and features young chimpanzees Noah (Owen Teague), Suna (Lydia Peckham), Raka (Peter Macon), Anaya (Travis Jeffery), Proximus Caesar ( Kevin Durand), along with new characters, including an all-new human central character, Nova (Freya Allan), take the audience on an epic journey

The official synopsis reads: "Director Wes Ball breathes new life into a major international franchise set several generations in the future after Caesar's reign As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape questions everything he knew about the past and embarks on a harrowing journey that forces him to make choices that will determine the future of apes and humans

In a word Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a spectacular new chapter in this latest Planet of the Apes saga, boasting an intriguing mix of world building and action, and delivering the breathtaking visuals we have come to expect from this modern reboot of the entire franchise

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, "Planet of the Apes" currently has an 80% approval rating from critics This means that the film is "Certified Fresh" but may not be as impressive as other films we recommend with scores over 90%

However, considering that this rating is derived from over 300 reviews, and seeing what some of the "Top Critics" have to say about the film, this score should be seen as a great endorsement not to skip "Planet of the Apes Kingdom" And even critics who don't like the film are (rightfully) praising the visual achievements of "Planet of the Apes"

Case in point: Tomlis Lafley (RogerEbertcom) gave the film a 35/4 rating, saying: "It proudly wears the values of the Caesar-centric film: fairness, loyalty, and communal solidarity

Similarly, IndieWire's David Ehrlich called it a "rewarding and cerebral journey" that "may lack the grand sweep and revolutionary zeal of the recent Matt Levers films that saved this series But this well-honed adventure still succeeds in building on the best of their legacy, albeit largely because of its focus on the forgotten lessons of struggle from it," he added

And for "TIME" magazine, James Grebay says: "The first film in seven years and the possible opening of a new trilogy, "Planet of the Apes: Kingdom" has a chance to really explore this world rather than forcefully build it Freed from another endpoint in the basically predetermined apocalypse story, the film can tell a small story before it becomes an epic one"

If you're still not convinced, don't forget to check out Hulu's Best Movies guide We've also compiled a list of how to watch the "Planet of the Apes" movies in order if you want to revisit some of the older classics