I went into this movie expecting the kind of event blockbuster movies that exist nowadays purely to parade around the zombie of various IPs. This movie is definitely not that. Despite the obvious CGI required to portray the apes, the movie is actually not filled with action, instead taking a much slower and deliberate approach. I really appreciated that! I just wish the story and characters at the start were more engaging because frankly it feels a bit dull in the first half. The second half, however, introduces a new element that I found surprising and very interesting -- I just wish it comes significantly earlier in the movie. This leads up to a genuinely fascinating conclusion that thematically really worked for me. It introduces interesting new directions and ideas, and I definitely have some interest in watching the next movie. The problem, again, is that this movie itself doesn't always capture that same potential. Often times, it feels like it wants to build the pathos from the prior trilogy without ever earning it, with the swelling music trying to emulate a character arc. However, I do have to admit that this franchise still has some tricks left up its sleeves, and it refuses to follow the standard template for these types of movies in Hollywood, so even though my rating for this particular movie is a little bit lower, I still have a lot of respect for it.