You’ll not seen nothing like the mighty “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”

And that’s why you should see this movie.

I went to “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” reluctantly. I didn’t really want to see the movie.

I am fine with the “Jungle Cruise” at Disneyland, “Animal Kingdom” at Disney World and gorillas at the Philadelphia Zoo. But who wants to spend two hours in a dark movie theater with apes on the screen? Apes running, jumping, screaming, fighting and galloping on horses. Yes, the apes are equestrians. There’s nothing not much weirder than an ape riding a horse.

Even so, during the fascinating, compelling and emotion-filled “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” I changed my mind. I enjoyed the movie. You may enjoy it, too.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is extraordinary for its special effects, computer-generated imagery and motion-capture acting.

Not for a moment do you not think that you are actually watching apes up there on the big screen. The facial expressions, the eyes, the body language and the voices (Yes, the apes talk, quite a lot.) are completely convincing.

Putting aside a debate about anthropomorphism, whereby human characteristics or behavior are overlaid on animals, the movie-goer can relate to the apes in “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” We’re a long way from Mickey and Minnie Mouse, “Beauty and the Beast” and Cheetos’ Chester Cheetah.

In “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” Noa (Owen Teague) is trying to rescue members of his clan, including his friends Soona (Lydia Peckham), Anaya (Travis Jeffery) and Noa’s mother Dar (Sara Wiseman), who are captured by Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) after Noa’s father Koro (Neil Sandilands) is killed by Proximus’s henchman, Silva (Eka Darville).

Noa, and an elder ape Raka (Peter Macon), and a young human female, Nova aka Mae (Freya Allan) are captured and taken to Proximus’s camp, where a human, Trevathan (William H. Macy), is assisting him.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” has lovely woodlands scenery, fascinating ruins of human industrial sites, a raging river and rugged coastline. The journey of Noa is perilous. The fighting among the factions of the apes is frightening.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” director Wes Ball (director, “Maze Runner” movie series, 2014, 2015, 2018) works from a screenplay by Josh Friedman (screenplay, ”War of the Worlds,” 2005; “The Black Dahlia,” 2006) and husband and wife Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (screenplay, ”Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” 2011; ”Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” 2014; “War for the Planet of the Apes,” 2017; “Jurassic World,” 2015; “Mulan,” 2020; “Avatar: The Way of Water,” 2022).

Director Wes Ball builds the tension masterfully and relieves it with thoughtful dialogue scenes laced with dollops of humor.

Cinematographer Gyula Pados (cinematographer “Maze Runner” trilogy) captures the exhilarating scenes.

John Paesano (composer “Maze Runner” trilogy) provides a brilliant score. He includes theme cues from Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the original “Planet of the Apes” (1968).

The apes in “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” were portrayed by actors, using computer-generated motion capture technology.

Owen Teague as Noa is charming, intriguing and relatable.

Peter Macon as Raka provides much of the humor.

This is a break-out role for Freya Allan as Mae-Nova. She has an extraordinary screen presence and commands every scene she’s in.

William H. Macy is a hoot as the coot Trevathan.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is fourth in the “Planet of the Apes” reboot franchise (”Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” 2011; ”Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” 2014; “War for the Planet of the Apes,” 2017) and 10th in the “Planet of the Apes” films.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” can been seen as a metaphor for the world, a world we may be creating or destroying.

Chimpanzees (Noa), Bonobos (Proximus Caesar), Bornean orangutans (Raka) and western lowland gorillas (Sylva) are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

It would seem that humans have nothing to worry about being dominated by a “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” anytime soon.

Someday, CGI and motion-capture versions of the apes may be all we will have of them.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and action; Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction. Run time: 2 hours, 25 minutes. Distributed by 20th Century Studios.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” was filmed in New South Wales, Australia, from October 2022 to February 2023. Owen Teague, for his role as Noa, volunteered and studied the animals at the Center for Great Apes in Florida.

At The Movies:

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” was seen in the standard format at AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Weekend Box Office,

May 24-26: “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” barreled to No. 1, opening with $26.3 million in 3,804 theaters, with “The Garfield Movie” clawing its way to No. 2, opening with $24 million in 4,035 theaters, as “IF” dropped two places to No. 3 from one week at No. 1 with $16.1 million in 4,068 theaters, $58.7 million, two weeks.

4. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” dropped two places, $13.3 million in 3,550 theaters, $122.8 million, three weeks. 5. “The Fall Guy” dropped one place, $5.9 million in 2,955 theaters; $72.2 million, four weeks. 6. “The Strangers: Chapter 1” dropped three places, $5.5 million in 2,856 theaters, $21.3 million, two weeks. 7. “Sight,” opening, $2.7 million in 2,100 theaters. 8. “Challengers” dropped three places, $1.4 million in 1,089 theaters; $46.5 million, five weeks. 9. “Back to Black” dropped three places, $1 million in 2,013 theaters, $4.9 million, two weeks. 10. “Babes” moved up eight places, $1 million in 595 theaters, $1.2 million, two weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of May 26 is subject to change.

Unreel,

May 29:

“The Commandant’s Shadow,”

PG-13: Daniela Volker directs the documentary film about the son of Rudolf Höss, Commandant of Auschwitz where more than one million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. The true story inspired the Oscar-winning “Zone of Interest.”

Unreel,

May 31:

“Ezra,”

R: Tony Goldwyn directs Robert De Niro, Vera Farmiga, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Rainn Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg and William A. Fitzgerald (as Ezra) in the Comedy, Drama. A comedian and his ex-wife co-parent an autistic son named Ezra.

“Robot Dreams,”

No MPAA rating. Pablo Berger directs the voice talents of Ivan Labanda, Albert Trifol Segarra and Rafa Calvo in the Family, Drama, Animation film nominated for a 2024 Best Animated Feature Film Oscar. The adventures of Dog and Robot in New York City during the 1980s are told.

“Summer Camp,”

PG-13: Castille Landon directs Kathy Bates, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Beverly D’Angelo, Alfre Woodard and Dennis Haysbert in the Comedy. Three best girlfriends from a sleepaway camp reunite many years later.

Movie opening date information from Internet Movie Database as of May 22 is subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes