It’s good. It would be better ten minutes shorter, but I say that about most movies I see.

I think the reason so many people think it’s a great film has less to do with the movie itself than relief that, if formulaic at times, it is watchable, which is more than can be said for a lot of big time, Hollywood dreck.

There are also certain cultural resonances that – while a bit reductive – certainly speak to broad patterns of historical and contemporary conflict.

You have a few good apes and a few good people willing to meet in the middle. There are some bad apes and some bad people on opposite poles unable to trust and ready to fight. Then, there are a lot of people who will follow the leader who seems the strongest or, more typically, who fade into the background.

Sound familiar? The cycle continues around the world. It’s more complex than this, of course, but the broad patterns and polarization are recognizable.

One thing I adore about this film is the moss in the opening sequence! Gets my vote for best moss in a movie since…well…maybe ever…