War for the Planet of the Apes

"Forget your usual blockbuster fare like cities getting flattened or aliens punching each other, the greatest special effect in War for the Planet of the Apes is a close-up of a chimp’s face. The collaboration between Andy Serkis and the digital artists that create Caesar is still miraculous, and watching him silently grapple with a decision is just as compelling as any super-powered slug-fest, if not more so."

"If you already find yourself on the side of the "Apes" enthusiasts ... then "War" will likely be a mind-blowing experience, upping the ante via both its bleeding-edge visual effects and the grim self-seriousness of Reeves' approach."

"Artfully shot and mournfully scored, there's no denying the craft that's been poured into this, even if it's set to be one of the summer's more heavy-going blockbusters."

"Apart from pulling off the unique trick of having us root for human extinction, War foregrounds a beautiful tension between the savage instinct for retribution and higher restraint -- ironically fought within the heart of an animal."

"It's an engrossing, forthright adventure."

"Surely Wellington's Weta will be collecting plenty of silver and goldware come early 2018. For they have delivered the 2017 blockbuster we've all been waiting for."

"A clever, well-acted summer blockbuster which is an involving cross between a classic Western revenge and a war movie, dropping somewhere between The Searchers, Platoon and Watership Down, if that can be imagined."

"Almost as rare as winning the Triple Crown in horse racing is to make a film trilogy that clicks from beginning to end, but Fox has pretty much pulled it off with its refurbished Planet of the Apes trio."

"After the last film's ballistic finale, it would have been easy for Matt Reeves to sit back and hurl fur and fireballs at the screen for two hours... [but] War is a more subtle beast than its title implies."