Review- Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The films finally ascend from the valley of shitness, up into the fresh air of being good quality films with a reboot that proves that reboots can be pretty good sometimes.
For writing these reviews, I rewatched all the films in the franchise but because I've seen them before and was just rewatching them for reference, I'd usually just have them on in the background, writing one of the reviews for a previous film as I went. More than any other of the films, I couldn't take my eyes away from this film. In fact, I enjoyed this film much more than I did the first time I saw it. The plot is radically different to the others in that it starts with apes being tested on. A particularly smart ape is killed but leaves a child behind called Caesar who one of the scientists, played by James Franco, adopts. They soon realise that he's super smart but after an incident occurs, the two are separated and Caesar is put into captivity, from which Caesar must escape. The plot isn't full of twists but it's just thoroughly satisfying and all plays out with incredible ease. Plus, it leaves the door open for possibilities of exciting places to take the franchise which thankfully the producers did.
Acting is a huge part of this film. James Franco is the main character and while I think James Franco can be a funny actor, I've never had high thoughts of him as a dramatic actor. This film completely disproves that though as Franco is excellent. He's warm and inviting as a character, one who we as an audience can totally relate with. His father, who has Alzheimers disease, is played by the wonderful John Lithgow and he is a deeply sad character. The serum that made Caesar smart also treats Alzheimers and so we get to see the tragic ups and downs of that disease through a tremendously talented actor. There is only one star of this film though and that is the incredible Andy Serkis. He plays Caesar through motion capture and his physicality is wonderful to witness. The facial capture is also great and within minutes, you already forget that this is a guy in a suit covered in ping pong balls. He may be better in later films but he's still fantastic here.
As I touched on there, I have to mention the special effects. Again, it becomes drastically better in later films but is spectacular here. Considering that half of the characters are created by computers, it shouldn't work so well but every single animator and technical effects wizard does their job perfectly. One of the things I also like about this film is how it pays respect to the franchise that came before it without getting bogged down in it like Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes did. There's references to a spaceship that goes missing which seems to be Taylor's ship from the first movie, characters have names that reference other films and iconic lines are borrowed. That last one should annoy me (it certainly did in the other remake) but it's shockingly well done, especially the "Get your stinking paws off me" moment. Before you even have enough time to acknowledge the reference, the director Rupert Wyatt brings in the single most powerful moment in the film as Caesar stands up and shouts "NO!". It's a nod to the past but then shaping it for the future.
Rise is a strong start to what may now be my favourite trilogy of all time. The action is strong but the characters are well developed and the plot is built up gradually too. There may be a little too much focus on the human characters but they are at least interesting while we are with them and their part in the future of their world is fascinating. It's just a wonderful time which is why I give it an
For writing these reviews, I rewatched all the films in the franchise but because I've seen them before and was just rewatching them for reference, I'd usually just have them on in the background, writing one of the reviews for a previous film as I went. More than any other of the films, I couldn't take my eyes away from this film. In fact, I enjoyed this film much more than I did the first time I saw it. The plot is radically different to the others in that it starts with apes being tested on. A particularly smart ape is killed but leaves a child behind called Caesar who one of the scientists, played by James Franco, adopts. They soon realise that he's super smart but after an incident occurs, the two are separated and Caesar is put into captivity, from which Caesar must escape. The plot isn't full of twists but it's just thoroughly satisfying and all plays out with incredible ease. Plus, it leaves the door open for possibilities of exciting places to take the franchise which thankfully the producers did.
Acting is a huge part of this film. James Franco is the main character and while I think James Franco can be a funny actor, I've never had high thoughts of him as a dramatic actor. This film completely disproves that though as Franco is excellent. He's warm and inviting as a character, one who we as an audience can totally relate with. His father, who has Alzheimers disease, is played by the wonderful John Lithgow and he is a deeply sad character. The serum that made Caesar smart also treats Alzheimers and so we get to see the tragic ups and downs of that disease through a tremendously talented actor. There is only one star of this film though and that is the incredible Andy Serkis. He plays Caesar through motion capture and his physicality is wonderful to witness. The facial capture is also great and within minutes, you already forget that this is a guy in a suit covered in ping pong balls. He may be better in later films but he's still fantastic here.
As I touched on there, I have to mention the special effects. Again, it becomes drastically better in later films but is spectacular here. Considering that half of the characters are created by computers, it shouldn't work so well but every single animator and technical effects wizard does their job perfectly. One of the things I also like about this film is how it pays respect to the franchise that came before it without getting bogged down in it like Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes did. There's references to a spaceship that goes missing which seems to be Taylor's ship from the first movie, characters have names that reference other films and iconic lines are borrowed. That last one should annoy me (it certainly did in the other remake) but it's shockingly well done, especially the "Get your stinking paws off me" moment. Before you even have enough time to acknowledge the reference, the director Rupert Wyatt brings in the single most powerful moment in the film as Caesar stands up and shouts "NO!". It's a nod to the past but then shaping it for the future.
Rise is a strong start to what may now be my favourite trilogy of all time. The action is strong but the characters are well developed and the plot is built up gradually too. There may be a little too much focus on the human characters but they are at least interesting while we are with them and their part in the future of their world is fascinating. It's just a wonderful time which is why I give it an
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