On this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt explore the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, set 300 years after the series’ previous installment and featuring opposing clans of apes. Our hosts find parallels between the Catholic faith and the film’s portrayal of community life, interpretation of teachings found in historic texts, the hope for mercy and forgiveness, and more. Editor’s note: The conversation includes major spoilers from throughout the film.

(0:30) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian greet each other and discuss early feedback they’ve received from listeners of the Cinema Verbit podcast. Both agree that talking about the “seeds of Scripture” in secular movies is a useful shallow entry into a discussion of faith. They segue into introducing the film for this episode: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which is the fourth installment of the Planet of the Apes reboot series and tenth film overall.

(4:04) Neither Fr. Matt nor Fr. Brian had seen any of the three previous films in the reboot series, so they watched those films in preparation for Kingdom. However, they think the new movie has enough context that viewers new to the franchise will be able to follow the plot. They briefly discuss the setting for the newer film and give a refresher about how apes became sentient at the beginning of the series.

(8:04) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt discuss parallels between the film’s plot and some familiar Biblical themes, including a sense of “religious fealty” toward a historical figure, tension between nomadic peoples and city dwelling societies, and prophetic figures helping to interpret the knowledge found in historic texts. The characters in this movie have different ways of interpreting the teachings and legacy of Caesar, an ape who lived long ago, just as the Gospels tell us about the different reactions to Jesus’ earthly ministry.

(22:41) Our hosts segue into looking at “seeds of the Word,” or how they see God’s word planted in the film. In Kingdom, they appreciated the distinctions between two interpretations of Caesar’s legacy, as well as the strong emphasis within the Bird Clan on the beauty of family and living harmoniously with God’s creation.

(27:46) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian note that while earlier films presented a clear dichotomy between humans and apes, this film zeroes in on the apes themselves and leaves the viewer wondering which apes are “good” and which are “evil.” As the events of the film unfold, it is not always clear whose intentions are pure and who is motivated by greed and self-interest.

(35:59) Our hosts revisit a point earlier in the film during which the characters discover a telescope and are able to see the stars in a way they’ve never seen them before. This leads to a brief discussion about a short-lived program at the University of Kansas during which students studied the classics while also regularly gathering to look at the sky. The program was eventually disbanded after a number of students converted to Catholicism while enrolled in the course. Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss the connection between being connected with the beauty of God’s creation and subsequently having faith in Him.

(39:50) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian rate the film in two ways: First, they offer a “seed” rating based on how clearly they saw goodness, truth, and beauty reflected in the film. Then, they give a standard rating based on their enjoyment and also rank where this film ranks for them in the reboot series.

Dichotomies in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

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