Parents' Guide to

War for the Planet of the Apes

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Smart, emotional, violent sequel has resonant ideas.

Movie PG-13 2017 140 minutes
War for the Planet of the Apes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 17 parent reviews

Levi Lewicki
Levi Lewicki Adult
October 14, 2021
age 12+

Enjoyable for all age's.

Relatable characters with understandable motives.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
robbie1
robbie1 Adult
February 7, 2020
age 12+

Masterpiece.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 17 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, Caesar (Andy Serkis), the apes' intelligent leader, has just won the battle of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but more troops are coming. As Caesar ponders his options, his home is attacked by soldiers, with tragic results. Caesar decides to move his tribe to a new location, but thirst for revenge causes him to hit the road, seeking the colonel responsible for the attack. He's accompanied by Maurice (Karin Konoval), Rocket (Terry Notary), and Luca (Michael Adamthwaite). On the road, they meet a young girl (Amiah Miller), whose voice and mannerisms seem to have been affected by something. They also meet a zoo ape, called "Bad Ape" (Steve Zahn), who helps. Eventually, Caesar meets the Colonel (Woody Harrelson), but he must face his toughest challenges before everything ends.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (17):
Kids say (51):

Director Matt Reeves follows the excellent Dawn of the Planet of the Apes with this even more complex, darker, smarter sequel, which seems destined to resonate longer than a typical popcorn movie. War for the Planet of the Apes is thrilling, expertly made, and packs an emotional punch, especially thanks to canny motion-capture performances by Serkis and Zahn and a thrillingly layered human performance by Harrelson.

Skipping shaky-cam footage and lazy editing, Reeves' direction is razor-sharp, swift, and clear, even if it reverts to its true status as a popcorn movie every so often by lifting bits and pieces from Apocalypse Now and Star Wars. War for the Planet of the Apes wrestles with issues of slavery and war and their roots in fear, but it does so in a way that lets viewers reach their own conclusions. Its greatest trick is that it effectively places the audience's sympathies with the non-human characters, turning a light on the fatal flaws and destructive demeanors of humans. Even as viewers are exhilarated, they'll also find that the movie's substance sticks with them for awhile.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about War for the Planet of the Apes' violence. Does the fact that it happens to non-human characters make it any less potent? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Did you find yourself rooting for the apes over the humans? Both equally? How did you feel about this?

  • What does the movie have to say on the subject of racism? What about war? Do you agree?

  • How does this film compare with the rest of the titles in the franchise? How has it aged over the years?

Movie Details

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