The Film Guru: “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and “Dead Boy Detectives” are excellent interpretations of classic genres

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (in cinemas)

It’s hard to imagine a sci-fi movie about intelligent monkeys having much relevance to the real world.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is surprisingly willing to change your mind about it. The latest entry in the long-running “Kingdom” film series maintains its action, but also relies heavily on some potentially interesting sociological commentary. The question of whether someone can learn peace once they have power is an important question, and the fact that it goes unanswered keeps me interested to see where the series goes next.

The film takes place several generations after the events of the most recent Planet of the Apes film (released in 2017). The film begins like many fantasy and historical epics with a small, peaceful village about to be decimated by invaders. However, these invaders are looking for a human, with whom a young ape eventually allies himself in order to recapture his people. But when it turns out that man is hiding all sorts of secrets, he has to decide who he can really trust.

The film assumes that you have seen and remembered all of the previous Planet of the Apes films of the modern era. So if you want to get the full experience, you might want to freshen up. If you haven’t seen it yet, the ideas and world-building here are good enough that you might still want to check it out.

Grade: three stars

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Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix)

It’s the most fun you can have with dead people.

Dead Boy Detectives is a delightful new streaming series that combines the panache of Scooby-Doo with the supernatural fun of creating dark fantasy worlds. With adorable characters all played by great actors, it’s hard not to fall in love with the entire crime-solving crew. Their adventures mix darkness and humor and add plenty of twists to keep things exciting.

The show focuses on two ghosts, the Dead Boy Detectives of the title, who remained on Earth to solve crimes rather than move on to the afterlife. After trying to help a doctor who has lost her memory, they find themselves in a case where they have to contend with witches, dandelion ghosts, and a giant snake. However, none of this is as frightening as their greatest enemy – the bureaucracy of the afterlife.

Although it’s set in the same universe as The Sandman, another Netflix series, you don’t have to see it to appreciate it. The show explains everything you need to know and unfolds the story in a way that feels like a whirlwind at times, but never leaves you in the dark.

Both Jayden Revri and George Rexstrew are charming as the titular detectives, while Kassius Nelson is careful to ensure that her extremely complicated character comes across as authentic. Yuyu Kitamura is a delight, as is Ruth Connell in a very different way. As the witch who causes the most trouble, Jenn Lyon brings just the right amount of everything.

All in all, it’s the perfect series for people who like their crime stories dark, funny, and definitely a little strange.

Grade: Three and a half stars

Jenniffer Wardell is an award-winning film critic and member of the Denver Film Critics Society. Find her on Twitter at @wardellwriter or drop her a message at [email protected].