A war begins
to brew between man and ape in this sequel to the 2011 hit Rise
of the Planet of the Apes. It's been ten years since the Simian Flu wiped
out most of humanity, and somewhere deep in the woods outside of San Francisco,
Caesar (voice and performance capture by Andy Serkis) and
his primate companions have established a thriving village built on the
principles of peace and community. Shortly after welcoming a baby brother into
the family, Caesar's son Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston) is walking through the
forest with his friend Ash (Doc Shaw) when they cross paths with a human named
Carver (Kirk Acevedo), who impulsively draws his gun and shoots Ash at the
first sign of aggression. As it turns out, Carver is part of a human expedition
led by Malcolm (Jason
Clarke), who, along with the rest of his crew, races to Carver's side just
as Caesar and the rest of the apes answer Blue Eyes' desperate call for help.
An enraged Caesar drives the humans away after realizing they are no longer a
threat, and decides to dispatch a small crew to follow them rather than yield
to the pleas of his aggressive advisor Koba (Toby Kebbell) to launch an all-out
attack. Instead, he decides to show the apes' strength by amassing outside of
the humans' makeshift community at the base of an unfinished tower, making it
unmistakably clear that the two species should remain apart.
Meanwhile, the point of the human excursion was to get a dormant dam running again in order to power their community, which will soon be thrust into darkness should they fail to take action. Convinced that he could strike a truce with Caesar that would allow the humans to repair the dam, which is located on the apes' land, Malcolm gets permission from human leader Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) to set out on his mission. Incredibly, thanks to the help of his girlfriend Ellie (Keri Russell), his son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and a few other key allies, Malcolm succeeds. Still, his truce with the apes is a fragile one, and just when it seems that the primates and humans have learned to coexist in peace, a shocking act of betrayal threatens to spark a war that will determine the dominant species. Koba appears with the rifle. Only Caesar sees him mere seconds before Koba shoots him. Caesar falls from the tree to the ground. Koba flees, leaving only the rifle and Carver's cap, which Blue Eyes comes across. Maurice tells Malcolm, Ellie, and Alex to run as the other apes become frightened and wild. Koba convinces them all that humans have shot and killed Caesar. He rounds up all the males and charges into the city, as Malcolm and his family are forced to hide.
The humans are celebrating the return of their power by dancing. Dreyfus retreats to his private quarters to check his iPad and see pictures of his wife and two sons, who have since been lost to the virus. He breaks down into tears at the sight of them. He then goes to the control room where another man is trying to get contact through the radio. Suddenly, Koba and his gorilla/chimp army ride into the compound to lay siege to the humans. Dreyfus gathers a group of armed men to stand over the gates to fire at the apes. He grabs a rocket launcher and manages to hit several targets, killing a few apes. Koba manages to charge with his apes through the gates and break their wall down.
By daybreak, Koba and his followers have taken humans as prisoners, declaring that they now know what it feels like to be caged. They find two humans, one of which is swinging a post at the apes, which Koba grabs from him. He orders Ash to use it on the man, but Ash shows mercy and says Caesar wouldn't want this. In response, Koba grabs Ash and drags him to a balcony and hurls him over to his death. Meanwhile, Malcolm and his family find Caesar, alive but weakened. They take him away and he leads them to his old home where he was raised by humans. They begin to try and treat his wounds, just as the apes run through the city, now armed with the humans' guns. The apes that refused to follow Koba have been locked in a bus. Blue Eyes sees Maurice, who tells him to protect himself.
Ellie wants to operate on Caesar but needs medical supplies. Malcolm offers to go back to the city via the subway system and get the supplies, narrowly escaping being killed by apes with machine guns. He eventually hides in a room, only to encounter Blue Eyes, who holds his gun up to Malcolm, but cannot bring himself to shoot him. Malcolm tells him that his father is still alive, leading him to Caesar. Blue Eyes sees the bullet wound and growls at the humans, but Caesar tells him this was Koba's doing. Blue Eyes tells his father that his mother and brother are safe for now, but Koba is amassing more followers due to their fear, and he also tells Caesar that Koba killed Ash, causing Blue Eyes to weep.
At night, Caesar goes to the attic and finds an old camera with a video of him as a young chimp with his human owner, the late Will Rodman (James Franco in archive footage), teaching him. Malcolm comes up and asks Caesar who that is. He responds that he was a good man, just like Malcolm.
Maurice and the other trapped apes break free from their bus and break the humans out. They find Caesar and tell them about Koba's plan to get the female apes and young ones to join him, including Cornelia and their newborn. Together, along with Malcolm, they head out to stop Koba.
Koba and his followers have gathered at the top of a tower, while Dreyfus and two other men have recently made contact with the military and loaded the tower with C4 explosives to take the apes down. While Caesar and his friends go to face Koba, Malcolm encounters Dreyfus and the men, and draws his rifle to stop them and convince them not to go to war with the apes. Dreyfus refuses to relent, saying he is about to save the human race. He grabs the detonator and pushes the button, causing an explosion that kills him and the two men, as well as any apes within the tower, but Malcolm escapes the blast. At the top of the tower, Caesar comes face-to-face with Koba, still wielding his rifle. Koba once again tries to rally the apes, claiming that together, they are strong. Caesar fights his former ally, while the other apes stand by for Caesar. In the chaos, Koba takes his gun back and begins to shoot at the apes. Caesar dives in and tackles Koba, knocking him off a ledge. As he hangs on for his life, he looks up at Caesar, who pulls Koba's arm up. Koba tells him, "Ape not kill ape." Caesar looks him down and replies, "You are not ape." With that, he drops Koba and allows him to fall to his death.
The free and surviving apes, including Caesar's family, come up to the tower to reunite as a group. Malcolm goes up to find Caesar and warn him about the incoming military reinforcements that would threaten his family and start a war. Caesar says that an ape has already started a war, and that Malcolm must go and protect his own family. The two of them acknowledge their friendship, but also the fact that the chance for peace is gone. Malcolm slips away, leaving Caesar to stand over the apes, who all bow down to him once again.
At the end of the closing credits, the sound of howling apes and the scraping of rubble can be heard.
Meanwhile, the point of the human excursion was to get a dormant dam running again in order to power their community, which will soon be thrust into darkness should they fail to take action. Convinced that he could strike a truce with Caesar that would allow the humans to repair the dam, which is located on the apes' land, Malcolm gets permission from human leader Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) to set out on his mission. Incredibly, thanks to the help of his girlfriend Ellie (Keri Russell), his son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and a few other key allies, Malcolm succeeds. Still, his truce with the apes is a fragile one, and just when it seems that the primates and humans have learned to coexist in peace, a shocking act of betrayal threatens to spark a war that will determine the dominant species. Koba appears with the rifle. Only Caesar sees him mere seconds before Koba shoots him. Caesar falls from the tree to the ground. Koba flees, leaving only the rifle and Carver's cap, which Blue Eyes comes across. Maurice tells Malcolm, Ellie, and Alex to run as the other apes become frightened and wild. Koba convinces them all that humans have shot and killed Caesar. He rounds up all the males and charges into the city, as Malcolm and his family are forced to hide.
The humans are celebrating the return of their power by dancing. Dreyfus retreats to his private quarters to check his iPad and see pictures of his wife and two sons, who have since been lost to the virus. He breaks down into tears at the sight of them. He then goes to the control room where another man is trying to get contact through the radio. Suddenly, Koba and his gorilla/chimp army ride into the compound to lay siege to the humans. Dreyfus gathers a group of armed men to stand over the gates to fire at the apes. He grabs a rocket launcher and manages to hit several targets, killing a few apes. Koba manages to charge with his apes through the gates and break their wall down.
By daybreak, Koba and his followers have taken humans as prisoners, declaring that they now know what it feels like to be caged. They find two humans, one of which is swinging a post at the apes, which Koba grabs from him. He orders Ash to use it on the man, but Ash shows mercy and says Caesar wouldn't want this. In response, Koba grabs Ash and drags him to a balcony and hurls him over to his death. Meanwhile, Malcolm and his family find Caesar, alive but weakened. They take him away and he leads them to his old home where he was raised by humans. They begin to try and treat his wounds, just as the apes run through the city, now armed with the humans' guns. The apes that refused to follow Koba have been locked in a bus. Blue Eyes sees Maurice, who tells him to protect himself.
Ellie wants to operate on Caesar but needs medical supplies. Malcolm offers to go back to the city via the subway system and get the supplies, narrowly escaping being killed by apes with machine guns. He eventually hides in a room, only to encounter Blue Eyes, who holds his gun up to Malcolm, but cannot bring himself to shoot him. Malcolm tells him that his father is still alive, leading him to Caesar. Blue Eyes sees the bullet wound and growls at the humans, but Caesar tells him this was Koba's doing. Blue Eyes tells his father that his mother and brother are safe for now, but Koba is amassing more followers due to their fear, and he also tells Caesar that Koba killed Ash, causing Blue Eyes to weep.
At night, Caesar goes to the attic and finds an old camera with a video of him as a young chimp with his human owner, the late Will Rodman (James Franco in archive footage), teaching him. Malcolm comes up and asks Caesar who that is. He responds that he was a good man, just like Malcolm.
Maurice and the other trapped apes break free from their bus and break the humans out. They find Caesar and tell them about Koba's plan to get the female apes and young ones to join him, including Cornelia and their newborn. Together, along with Malcolm, they head out to stop Koba.
Koba and his followers have gathered at the top of a tower, while Dreyfus and two other men have recently made contact with the military and loaded the tower with C4 explosives to take the apes down. While Caesar and his friends go to face Koba, Malcolm encounters Dreyfus and the men, and draws his rifle to stop them and convince them not to go to war with the apes. Dreyfus refuses to relent, saying he is about to save the human race. He grabs the detonator and pushes the button, causing an explosion that kills him and the two men, as well as any apes within the tower, but Malcolm escapes the blast. At the top of the tower, Caesar comes face-to-face with Koba, still wielding his rifle. Koba once again tries to rally the apes, claiming that together, they are strong. Caesar fights his former ally, while the other apes stand by for Caesar. In the chaos, Koba takes his gun back and begins to shoot at the apes. Caesar dives in and tackles Koba, knocking him off a ledge. As he hangs on for his life, he looks up at Caesar, who pulls Koba's arm up. Koba tells him, "Ape not kill ape." Caesar looks him down and replies, "You are not ape." With that, he drops Koba and allows him to fall to his death.
The free and surviving apes, including Caesar's family, come up to the tower to reunite as a group. Malcolm goes up to find Caesar and warn him about the incoming military reinforcements that would threaten his family and start a war. Caesar says that an ape has already started a war, and that Malcolm must go and protect his own family. The two of them acknowledge their friendship, but also the fact that the chance for peace is gone. Malcolm slips away, leaving Caesar to stand over the apes, who all bow down to him once again.
At the end of the closing credits, the sound of howling apes and the scraping of rubble can be heard.
