Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

                The “Planet of the Apes” series is one of those sci-fi franchises that I don’t particularly have much thought on. I do respect the original for being one of the most inspiring films of all time, and for giving out one of the greatest twist endings that no-one has ever been able to top; the thing is, the series isn’t really my thing. The sequels, with the exception of “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes,” I could care less about, just in how forgettable they were getting. When Tim Burton made his revision of the series, it was memorable…just for all the wrong reasons. In fact, some have started calling that film, “Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals: The Movie.”

                This then bring us to the next attempt at a reboot, Rupert Wyatt’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” starring James Franco and Andy Serkis. When the film came out, I wasn’t really that invested from the trailers, so I didn’t see the movie. However, when I heard about the praise it was getting, I decided to check it out on TV one day, and…it was actually a pretty good film. In fact, I’d say it was the best film in the series, since the original, as it did show a different path the apes would conquer through today’s and tomorrow’s modern sciences. While the overusing of CGI and nods to the series were distracting, I still enjoyed the film for what it was showcasing, and had some interest in seeing the sequel.

                In “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Matt Reeves of “Cloverfield” fame, a decade has passed since the overtaking of San Francisco, with the apes colonizing in the forests, some of which have lived peaceful lives with their families. Things get out of hand, however, when humans enter into the territory, seeking the dam for power, resulting in a constant struggle of whether peace will come about, or war breaking out between man and ape. Now was this good? Yes, in fact, I’d say it’s on-par with “Rise,” mostly due to it having some troubling things for me.

                What got on my nerves was the CGI being a little overused again, when it came to the elk and horses, whenever the apes were chasing or riding them. Some of their movements really made them look unrealistic, but not enough to make it unbearable. The other thing that was hard to sit through was some of the human characters; some are just the typical survival stereotypes that were either annoying as hell, or incredibly bland. The only one who I actually thought had any character to develop him was Gary Oldman as the human colony’s supposed leader; when you see that scene of him looking at a picture of his family on a tablet for the first time in years, you feel the harsh emotion that is going through him. I really wish he was in the film longer, because he was one of the only humans in the film I felt sympathy for. The other two, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell, were okay, but not as relatable as how Oldman was.

                The biggest dull thing for me, were the clichés that you can spot at from a mile away. The misunderstood betrayal, the “I hate you, then I like you” bit, the “war is awful” montage, etc. It made the film seem pretty predictable, but I’ll admit they were done nicely.

                Okay, enough of the negatives; what WAS good about this film? Well, I can definitely say the effects on the apes are done very strongly, especially with that opening and ending close-up on Caesar’s face really do make it seem like that’s a legit ape; it’s definitely an upgrade from the previous film. I also loved the scenes of the apes interacting with one another through sign language. Even when they do speak English, it really does add to the atmosphere of it all. That’s another thing; the atmosphere of this movie is really settling, allowing you to soak in the film as it goes along. That’s one of the strong points this reboot has had, convincing you that something like this could potentially happen if possible.

                The best part of this film, and a major redeemer of some of the negative stuff, was Andy Serkis as Caesar. Much like the last film, his performance through the motion-capture technology is stunning to watch, and really makes it a wonder to watch; if anything, the film is worth watching just for his performance alone, and I do wish the Academy would show him some recognition this role! I also enjoyed the performances from the other apes as well, showing different personalities between them and how they work off each other. I honestly do wish this film was more about the apes trying to live life through what damages were caused and how they rebuilt their own society…maybe we’ll get that in the next installment.

                Overall, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” was a very intriguing film that had a lot going for it. While there were some character and cliché flaws, it still manages to give out the right atmosphere and presence that makes it all the worthwhile, especially for Andy Serkis. It’s definitely worth a watch, if you’re up for it.

Rating: 8/10