War for the Planet of the Apes… A Bible Story?

Mostly when you go to see a movie, it’s for entertainment. You want to be thrilled, fall in love, be provoked into thinking, you want some adrenaline to flow, you want to be compelled by the drive of the story and you want to laugh, cry or smile. But really you don’t want to be aware of anything, you just want to be in the moment and feel, completely immersed in the world that has been created, completely in the moment, to empathise and feel emotions. Even better though is when a movie or story makes connections and associations with something you already know.

War for the Planet of the Apes is completely a compelling, believable and immersive story.

Yet the story seems somehow familiar, perhaps even Biblical.

A nation of enslaved Apes need to leave their homeland and take a journey to a promised land. The charismatic leader, Caesar (Andy Serkis), has a vision of their future and a fierce loyalty to protect his people. During a “cleansing” raid Caesar’s first born is killed by a human, the Colonel (Woody Harrelson). They know they must leave their home and make their way to another land. As they travel on their journey, the nation of Apes is captured and forced into slavery and hard labour. The Apes are subjected to a savage persecution, their lives “made bitter with hard bondage”. Their sons are murdered. There can be no doubt that our hero stands in opposition to this external dark power which is the main obstacle to them reaching their goal.  Caesar, begs the enslaver, the Colonel, to “let my people go” (or at least to save them). But he refuses and the suffering is multiplied. Although we didn’t get all the plagues (as per the bible), a terrible disease does strike down the first born of the Colonel. Caesar, is crucified (slight mixing of stories here) and tortured, but still retorts, “Let my people go!!”

 Finally, the Nation of Apes escapes, pursued by their Persecutors (and reinforcements). A great battle, a massive explosion and then the Red Sea (sorry, the avalanche) closes in on the Persecutors and they are wiped out.

So those of the Nation of Apes that remain, are able to continue on their journey to the promised land flowing with milk and honey (or perhaps bananas?) and will all live happily ever after, but not before Caesar dies. Darkness is transformed into light, negative into positive.

Sound Familiar? You just can’t beat a Great Classic Quest Story.

Lest we forget, the promised land was already full of other peoples for whom it was already their homeland, whom the chosen people should “kill, take their land and the altars of their Gods should be overthrown.

I think I can see a sequel coming!!

CL 28 July 2017