Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

What’s it about?

Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

The facts

• Directed by Wes Ball
• Runtime 165 mins
• A science fiction action film adapted from Planet of the Apes
• It is the sequel to War for the Planet of the Apes. It is the fourth instalment in the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise series. It is the tenth Planet of the Apes film overall.
• Visual effects by WētāFX

Why did it get this rating?

This film was rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about ratings here.

Violence

The story focuses on different clans of apes fighting. In some scenes this is shown as apes hitting each other, jumping on each other, and using rocks attached to ropes to hit and injure their targets. An attacking clan have taser-like weapons which are used to control their victims with electric shocks.

An ape community is attacked at night, and we see the rampage partway through. Structures are on fire and apes are being dragged and rounded up. We don’t see wounds but we see some of the apes scared and cowering. There are large flames as the fire destroys the village. An ape falls from a great height during the battle. We don’t see his landing and later find that he survived the fall. These scenes would be frightening for younger viewers.

A pack of wild roaming humans is rounded up by apes on horseback. They use whips and nets to capture and round up the humans, like animals.

A human character uses a choke hold to kill another character in an act of self-defence. This is scene is shocking and disturbs the other characters who witness the murder.

A small handgun is revealed and is used to surprise and threaten some attacking apes. An ape is then shot in the chest, and we briefly see as a small bloody bullet wound. The ape collapses and is presumed dead.

Content that may disturb

In the opening scene we see a funeral ceremony where an ape is being mourned and their body is being burned on a pyre.

There are several scenes involving raging water, where apes are at risk of being swept away. We see a character lose their grip and be swept away in a rapidly moving river. In another scene we see apes be washed away by large waves, and one who drowns from the fast-rising water level.

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?