If we’re lucky, a few times each year we’ll be treated to a $100 million blockbuster that manages to wow critics and audiences alike. This was the case with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which managed to pull in both a 90% on RottenTomatoes  —  normal caveats about RottenTomatoes aside  —  and grossed over $700 million at the global box office. When Hollywood finds just the right balance of magic and money, we catch a glimpse at the potential of the right filmmaker with a ton of resources at his or her disposal. It’s what has so many fans excited for War for the Planet of the Apes. Can Matt Reeves and 20th Century Fox team up for a second incredible blockbuster movie?

We won’t know for sure until the embargo lifts later this month, but a few critics have had a chance to see the film and haven’t exactly been shy in praising the movie on social media. Here is a quick sampling of some of the early buzz (with a nod to Heroic Hollywood and Collider) about War for the Planet of the Apes from some of the people who know a thing or two about watching movies:



After watching the first few clips from the film, I’m inclined to buy into the hype surrounding Reeves’ film. What made Dawn of the Planet of the Apes such a special experience was the deep sympathy Reeves and his actors made you feel for its non-human characters. That same sympathy has been on display throughout the film’s marketing, meaning that the Planet of the Apes franchise has sacrificed none of its pathos in pursuing a more violent story. Here’s hoping you’re right, Early Critics: this is one of the summer movies I’ve been most excited for all year long.

War for the Planet of the Apes will hit theaters on July 14, 2017.

More From ScreenCrush