STACK Aug #154

CINEMA REVIEWS

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WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

ALSO SCREENING IN AUGUST

RELEASED: July 27 DIRECTOR: Matt Reeves CAST: Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, Steve Zahn RATING: M

Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes saw a new energy instilled into the incredible tale of humanity versus ape-kind. Does the culmination of the reboot trilogy do this legacy justice, or does it wobble like so many third outings? Rest assured, there’s nothing wobbly here – War for the Planet of the Apes is magnificent. A couple of years after the events of Dawn , Caesar (Andy Serkis) and surviving followers are getting by in the woods. However, patrolling soldiers from a military faction called Alpha-Omega discover them and an intense battle ensues. The Unfinished monkey business.

apes capture some of the opposing fighters, but release them as a sign of goodwill to the humans. Ah, but Caesar hasn’t encountered A.O. leader The Colonel (Woody Harrelson) yet. He’s a heartless war beast, who takes this peaceful act as a sign of weakness and attacks the apes’ camp. While Caesar sends the surviving apes on a quest to relocate across the desert, his heart is filled with vengeance. Accompanied by the fiercely loyal Maurice, Luca and Rocket, he sets out to track down the Colonel and exact revenge, with many a run-in – friend and foe – along the way. But is Caesar becoming all that he detests in humanity? Beyond the incredible action and amazing score, War for the Planet of the Apes oozes heart, as well as subtle-yet-substantial insight into the nature – and ultimate futility – of war. Then there’s the fact that this is possibly the greatest special effects spectacle ever to make it to a screen – there’s no doubting for a moment that these apes are real (even though they’re not, obviously). That as humans we still find ourselves siding with the apes speaks volumes for Weta Digital’s stunning achievement in (e)motion capture. Although Woody Harrelson playing an utter bastard also helps… Amy Flower role, however, is to uncover the true identity of Satchel - the most prominent double agent. Can she trust anyone in this war-torn city, ravaged by the imminent fall of the Wall? Set in 1980's Germany, the soundtrack is wonderful, featuring everything from 99 Luftballoons to Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This ). The plot timeline switches between Broughton recalling the events of Berlin in an interrogation room, and the action actually unfolding in front of your eyes. Unfortunately, the importance that Spyglass plays in the story is never really reinforced, and at some points you find yourself wondering if he's really worth all this trouble. That being said, the fight sequences are extremely well choreographed - perhaps in part due to Leitch's stuntman history - and Theron is thoroughly convincing as an undercover agent. McAvoy reprises his almost-drunk Professor Xavier persona quite well, and the inclusion of Sofia Boutella as another foreign agent is a welcome one - she's everywhere these days. Despite Atomic Blonde being under two hours, it does drag a bit towards the end; however, Leitch's first solo director's credit undoubtedly has its explosive moments. Alesha Kolbe

THE DARK TOWER

After a decade in development hell, the film adaptation of Stephen King's magnum opus is finally here, with Idris Elba as Gunslinger Roland Deschain and Mattew McConaughey as his nemesis, The Man in Black. King's ambitious epic is a mix of spaghetti western, post-apocalypse fantasy and horror, and fans of the novels can expect a combination of books one and three to introduce Roland's world on Aug 17 .

Steven Soderbergh comes out of retirement to direct this heist caper set during a NASCAR race, starring Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Craig as you've never seen him before! Days of Thunder meets Ocean's Eleven on Aug 17 . LOGAN LUCKY

ATOMIC BLONDE

RELEASED: Aug 3 DIRECTOR: David Leitch CAST: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella RATING: MA15+

She's a Killer Queen.

Atomic Blonde follows MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron), who is sent to the divided Berlin to track down a list of double agents. Helping her on his German home ground is David Percival (James McAvoy), whom Broughton's superiors (Toby Jones and John Goodman) assure will assist her on her mission. She must find the agent known simply as Spyglass and ensure his safe travels through the Berlin Wall, as he has memorised the aforementioned list of traitors. Her second MI6

The Cruiser is back in the cockpit, this time playing real-life pilot and drug smuggler turned CIA operative Barry Seal. This true crime thriller is directed by Doug Liman and lands on Aug 24 . american made

Luc Besson’s latest heralds a return to the splendidly bonkers territory of The Fifth Element . Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne play special government operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the universe on Aug 10 . VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS

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AUGUST 2017

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24/7/17 11:50 am