Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

A substance designed to help the brain repair itself gives advanced intelligence to a chimpanzee who leads an ape uprising.

Director:

Rupert Wyatt

Writers:

Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver

Stars:

James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 21 wins & 42 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andy Serkis	...	Caesar
Karin Konoval	...	Maurice / Court Clerk
Terry Notary	...	Rocket / Bright Eyes
Richard Ridings	...	Buck - Ape
Christopher Gordon	...	Koba - Ape (as Chris Gordon)
Devyn Dalton	...	Cornelia - Ape
Jay Caputo	...	Alpha
James Franco	...	Will Rodman
Freida Pinto	...	Caroline Aranha
John Lithgow	...	Charles Rodman
Brian Cox	...	John Landon
Tom Felton	...	Dodge Landon
David Oyelowo	...	Steven Jacobs
Tyler Labine	...	Robert Franklin
Jamie Harris	...	Rodney - Shelter Assistant

Storyline

At the story's heart is Caesar (Andy Serkis), a chimpanzee who gains human-like intelligence and emotions from an experimental drug. Raised like a child by the drug's creator, Will Rodman (James Franco) and a primatologist Caroline Aranha (Freida Pinto), Caesar ultimately finds himself taken from the humans he loves and imprisoned in an ape sanctuary in San Bruno. Seeking justice for his fellow inmates, Caesar gives the fellow apes the same drug that he inherited. He then assembles a simian army and escapes the sanctuary - putting man and ape on a collision course that could change the planet forever.

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Plot Keywords:

ape | chimpanzee | alzheimer's disease | when animals attack | fire | 

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Taglines:

Evolution Becomes Revolution

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense and frightening sequences of action and violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bonobos are similar to chimpanzees, except they are darker, slightly smaller and tend to have longer limbs and longer hair on the tops of their heads. While Koba acts aggressively in the film, in reality this would be unlikely as bonobos are far less violent than chimpanzees.

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Goofs

When Dodge Landon drags the cattle prod across the cage, we see a shower of sparks. However, if you drag a real electric cattle prod across a metal surface, you will only see blue arcing, no different than the blue arcing between the prongs.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Robert Franklin: [administering chimp intelligence test] Okay, okay. Here you go. And let's go again.
[gives Bright Eyes treat and clocks timer]
Will Rodman: Which one's this? Number nine?
Robert Franklin: Yeah, this is number nine. Bright Eyes, we call her. Are you watching this? This is unbelievable.
[Bright Eyes does the tower fast]
Robert Franklin: Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Bright Eyes: [grabs treat and eats it]
Will Rodman: How many moves was that?
Robert Franklin: 20.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The end credits appear over a map, showing the virus spreading around the world.

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Connections

References Planet of the Apes (1968)

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Soundtracks

Turkey in the Straw
Traditional
Performed by Joseph Bonn

User Reviews

More than expected

There are so many things right about this movie, the little things that are wrong are easily forgiven. Some slight plot holes, but the film and characters make up for it. The chemistry between Franco and Pinto is weak, however Franco plays his part. Lithgow is always a great asset to any production, and does a great job here.

Albeit you know the chimps are CGI, their eyes look amazing, with depth and personality, and along with their body language and facial animations, you really do forget they are CGI. The music is powerful and tense, and I loved the way it builds up through out the movie. Starting with light orchestra at the beginning, while starting to feel very tribal without overdoing it towards the end.

There are moments that are truly gratifying, and Caeser really steals the show with his evolution through out the movie. The journey Caeser takes really connects and you feel his plight. With moments of thought, heart and action, Rise really hits the mark for the audience it's aiming for.

Excellent entertainment all round!

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA UK Canada

Language:

English Sign Languages

Release Date:

5 August 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Planet of the Apes: Genesis

Filming Locations:

Wellington, New Zealand

Box Office

Budget:

$93,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$54,806,191, 7 August 2011

Gross USA:

$176,760,185

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$481,800,873

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Dune Entertainment, Chernin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Dolby Surround 7.1 SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1