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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

PG-13 | | Action, Adventure, Drama | 11 July 2014 (USA)
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A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier.

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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 44 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Foster
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Kemp
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Ash (as Doc Shaw)
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Grey
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Storyline

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species. Written by Twentieth Century Fox

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

One last chance for peace.


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief strong language | See all certifications »

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Details

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Release Date:

11 July 2014 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Untitled Rise of the Planet of the Apes Sequel  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$170,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$72,611,427 (USA) (11 July 2014)

Gross:

$208,543,795 (USA) (28 November 2014)
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Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

A sequel to "Dawn of the planet of the Apes" has been set for June 2017, after being put back a year. See more »

Goofs

When Malcolm is saying goodbye to Ellie in their room, he cups her face in his hands and kisses her. In the next shot, his hands are not on her face. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Physician: If you have a fever and cough or a sore throat, stay home.
Man on TV: I'd say 95% chance of this is manufactured. Came out of a laboratory.
Female Reporter: The source of the virus was traced back to drug test done at Gen-Sys Laboratories in San Francisco.
Male Reporter 1: The lab technician, now known as Patient Zero, was accidentally exposed to retrovirus ALZ-113, an Alzheimer's trial drug that was being testing on chimpanzees.
Male Reporter 2: The infected chimps showed signs of erratic and aggressive behavior that led to their escape from...
See more »

Connections

Follows Planet of the Apes (1974) See more »

Soundtracks

The Weight
Written by Robbie Robertson
Performed by The Band
Courtesy of Capitol Records, LLC
Under license from Universal
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

Well meaning, but a bit too full of its own importance, becoming a bit heavy and ponderous in the process
5 October 2014 | by (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

I had enjoyed the first film in what I guess is the modern version of the PotA franchise, so I was quite looking forward to this second film. The plot jumps quite some time ahead, to find mankind surviving in small bands following the outbreak of a virus around a decade ago. Meanwhile Caesar has established a community deep in the woods, founded off the survivors of the battle on the Golden Gate bridge. When a group of men ventures into the woods looking for an old dam in the hope of getting power to their community, it tests trust and loyalty within both camps.

As the title suggests, this is the point where the Apes start to develop rather than just survive, and as such it holds a key point in the series; unfortunately this is something that the film very much feels and as a result it carries itself much more seriously than it can bear. The base elements of the plot are all well and good, with a narrative that expands on war, peace, trust, fear and aggression in a way that balances the apes and humans pretty well. The problem is not that it does this, but that it carries it all too heavily, producing a rather ponderous tone that sees the delivery imbued with too much weight, with all the characters and every line seeming to be aware of the import which it has. This robs it of flow and naturalism, both of which it could have done with.

When the action comes, it carries this same weight. It provides plenty of good moments but again there is the constant sense of importance and darkness about it – so there is nothing that really rivals the Golden Gate Bridge sequence for spectacle and tension. In terms of the technical side of things, it is hard to fault the film, and the motion-capture performances really feed back into the effects to produce more than just impressive computer generated effects. Performances from Serkis and Kebbell are both very good, and it is shame therefore that Clarke is as stiff as a board and Oldman mostly wasted with little to actually do. The rest of the cast are the same – the humans seems overly labored while the apes are generally better.

It is not a bad film by any means, and there is a lot to like about it, even if a lot of this is what it could have been rather than what it is. The weight it carries is evident, so it doesn't just deliver an epic plot, it feels that it is doing that, in every word and scene. This stifles it, making it feel ponderous and too self- aware, which is a shame because there are a couple of very good performances in here, and a lot of impressive effects work.


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