MyRating: YYYYYDirector: Rupert Wyatt
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense and frightening sequences of action and violence
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a reboot of the famous science fiction series Planet of the Apes, first introduced in 1968, which was followed by four sequels up to 1973. With a story that stands on its own, which retells the tale from the beginning, this reboot also has no correlation with Tim Burton 2001 remake version. This is a surprisingly well made summer blockbuster movie with an emotionally engaging storytelling that may make you see the apes never the same again.
A lab experiment to develop a cure for Alzheimer's disease seems to go wrong when one of its genetically-enhanced chimpanzees goes on a rampage and attacks an important board meeting in Gen-Sys, the pharmaceutical company that develops the cure. For showing dangerous and ultra-aggresive behaviors, all the chimps are put to rest, except one baby chimp, who is being hidden by the main scientist who leads the experiment, Will Rodman (James Franco).
Will raises the chimp in his house with his father Charles (John Lithgow), who also suffered from Alzheimer's disease (his father's disease is the reason that drives him to find the cure at the first place). The chimp, being named as Caesar (played by Andy Serkis), inherits his mother's high intelligence, due to the engineered-genes that are running in his blood, which makes him can learn and develop quickly. At age of 3, Caesar has completed puzzles for ages 8 and up. He possesses a human level of intelligence and displays cognitive skills that far exceed that of a human counterpart.
As Caesar grows older, Will's house, which kept him inside for not being exposed, is starting to become too small for him. And his attic's window, where Caesar spent all of his chimp childhood staring outside the window watching the human kids playing on the street, has become a cage for him. After a series of incidents, Caesar is being sent to the San Bruno Primate Sanctuary, where he is being locked up with many other different kinds of apes, all of them being treated poorly and cruelly by the sanctuary chief guard (Tom Felton). Doesn't like to be treated that way, Caesar uses his extraordinary mind and intelligence to plan for a perfect escape and lead all of his fellow apes into freedom, to the better and wide world outside.
I always believe that the main element which makes a movie 'great' is the 'storytelling'. And this movie not only has a clever script with great story, but also an excellence execution by the director Rupert Wyatt (who has no 'hit' before and has only directed less than the number of fingers in your one 'primate' hand). As I sat down in the theater, I was carried away by the engaging and thoughtful story, that not only grasped my mind and my ego towards appreciating good movies, but also grasped my heart inside. This movie has a lot of heart. Never before I thought that watching a movie about 'apes' could be so touching. And never before I thought that an ape (Caesar) could touch me as real as a human being.
The special effects and the computer graphics were top-notch. It was so difficult to separate the 'unreal' from the 'real', as the apes were looked so real, which will make you think that there are indeed apes like that in the real world, who can feel, think, and even talk, all cohesively blended well into the real world. The only thing that separated the 'real' from the 'unreal' was a thin hair that you cannot see.
Andy Serkis, who played Caesar with the performance capture technology, stole the whole show with his amazing and brilliant performance. The way he moved, the way he looked and glanced, and the way he expressed his 'ape' expressions were soulfully possessed into Caesar, as if the ape possessed into him. His great performance here should be acknowledged and remembered as one of the best performances of the year. He is definitely the specialist and the top name in the shelf when talking about 'mocap', as he has played Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003) and Kong in King Kong (2005), and also in the upcoming The Hobbit dwilogy (2012-2013) to reprise his role as Gollum.
As for the 'real' human characters, I must say that the interesting line of casts were not disappointing at all, even though you may say that they were overshadowed by Serkis' performance. James Franco was fine as the scientist. His chemistries with both Caesar and John Lithgow were well connected and touching. Lithgow also played sympathetic and fun to watch as the 'Alzheimer' father. While as the lover of Will and a primatologist, Freida Pinto's character and acting was a bit underdeveloped, but her beautiful face surely did a better part for her in this film. There was Brian Cox who run the Primate Sanctuary where Caesar was being locked up with other apes. And surprisingly, a quite impressive acting came by Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter saga), who successfully played the villain with his cruel behaviors that will make you feel disgusted for him.
This is not a non-stop action movie, as the movie took its time to tell the story, strengthened its dramaturgy, and developed its characters. It's the right way to make you care for them. However, when it came into action, this movie surely did not play it soft. The scene where the apes rushing the Golden Gate Bridge was thrilling, breathtaking and mindblowing, with apes screaming, running and jumping from cars to cars, including a gorilla jumping over a flying helicopter. S.U.P.E.R.B.
MYMOVIE CRITIC - REVIEWING MOVIES FROM THE AUDIENCE'S STANDPOINT
For me, this is hands down one of the best movies of this summer. An excellent filmmaking that knows how to play your emotions. The message of the film, which showed by how Caesar treated his enemies, was also well delivered. This movie has laid a very solid foundation for the upcoming sequels. If you have watched this movie and fell for the apes, then it is impossible for you to not wanting a sequel anyway. (MJ)
MYMOVIE CRITIC - REVIEWING MOVIES FROM THE AUDIENCE'S STANDPOINT
