It takes a lot to look intimidating when you’re standing next to an upset silverback gorilla, but Woody Harrelson manages it in these newly released photos from War for the Planet of the Apes, via Entertainment Weekly. As a bonus, we also get a great shot of series hero/villain Caesar leading his chimpanzee warriors in horse-drawn combat.
Those of you keeping track of the great ape/human battle to control Earth will be somewhat perplexed by what appears to be Harrelson’s ape-killing Colonel standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a seriously miffed looking gorilla. Is this a preview of some blurring of the lines in the battle, with Caesar’s current domination of the ape ranks under fire from the crazed Colonel?
Word is that this is to be the most intense instalment in the franchise yet, with both previous instalments confounding critics by treating their ludicrous premise of super-intelligent apes conquering the world with admirable seriousness. Rise of the Planet of the Apes showed former test subject Caesar grappling with newfound smarts, and Dawn displayed how the ape forces have consolidated themselves against a terrified humanity.
But War promises to show the apes suffering ‘unimaginable losses,’ which drives Caesar into a rage and kicks off a ‘mythic quest’ to avenge his kind against Harrelson’s Colonel. Director Matt Reeves promises that “the film goes from being this grand war movie to an almost Josey Wales-like Western.”
If the flick manages to maintain the quality of its predecessors, it’ll be a must-see. With Woody Harrelson purportedly dialling up the insanity, I for one am ready to ‘go ape’ when War for the Planet of the Apes swings into theatres on July 14th.
