War for the Planet of the Apes

By the end of the movie War for the Planet of the Apes, you will believe that apes speak English, love, mourn and attack people who upset them. It will seem as natural as people doing those things. Which they do.

Actually, apes do most of the above anyway – the only exception being the English speaking. Apes are pretty smart. In fact, they’re probably smarter than humans in many ways.

For example, they don’t gnaw at the world until it’s on the brink of ecological collapse. But then again, perhaps they would do that too if they had the brains.

When you think about it, it’s brains that are causing all the problems. Brains wanting more and more. For example – a better movie with bigger budgets, more spectacular visual effects and … and it’s all wasted.

There were just ten people, in a screening room that could have held several hundred, watching this movie on a sunny afternoon in York. Life was going on outside. Real life. People laughing, crying and having fun.

 

But there I was, watching shadows of imaginary apes cavorting across a screen. What’s that all about?!

But still – existential angst aside – it was a good movie. Worth £6.50 of anyone’s money.

I type this as I wait for dinner to cook. I’m also waiting for a good last line for this piece to appear in my mind.

I’ll let you know when it arrives.