Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is at the same time a great Planet of the Apes movie and a terrific science fiction movie. The way speech is brought upon in the movie is amazing and really brings a lot of reality to something so out of the box. The tension is palpable through the whole movie and there's never a dull moment.
740 Reviews
A superior sequel in almost every sense
maxglen4 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I liked Rise of the Planet of the Apes, like... REALLY liked it; this is no secret to those who know me or have read my review of the film here on iMDb, but Dawn is a film that holds a special place in my heart, not only because the film is spectacularly made (although that certainly does help) but also because of the circumstances in which I first experienced it which I will get to in a bit. First off, I'll start with what you will first notice about this film, the effects; the CGI in this movie is absolutely incredible, in the first scene alone we see these beautifully rendered apes, lining the trees in preparation for a hunt and the lighting is spectacular as well as the texture work on their skin, fur and depth and wetness of the eyes. They feel real, even now, and for a 7 year old movie? That's pretty impressive. I forgot to mention how this scene also happens to take place in the rain which adds another element of challenge but they pull it off superbly. I mean, you can see each individual raindrop effect each individual ape's fur! Next up on the block is the narrative, now, although admittedly nothing too special, I think considering the approach this film took with it's story, it's done as well as it can be done; I think the lack of truly original story is what drags this down from a 10 for me but I can't hold it back too much as there is only so much you can do with a post ape uprising earth, and what they do do (ha) is done to a tee. The acting is pretty top notch, I think almost every actor does a pretty solid job but the real standouts here are Andy Serkis as Caesar and Toby Kebell as Koba... wow. Possibly the best motion capture performances I've ever seen. Koba is a deeply damaged character who when we start the film, see has calmed down quite a bit now that he is living free with his own kind, away from the humans, but as the film goes on and he is reintroduced to the human threat, he breaks under the pressure and his scars reopen, it's really great stuff. Caesar continues on his natural trajectory from Rise and is now the leader of the California based ape civilisation we saw birthed in that prior movie. We see him struggle with leadership, parenthood and all things in between, it allows us to sympathise with him on another level and feel the weight of his actions as well as the consequences that surround him and having seen him grow from a baby in Rise, our emotional connection with him is already a strong one. Next, we have music. Absolutely brilliant. The soundtrack perfectly encapsulates the feeling of Planet of the Apes as a whole while also bringing it's own flair, making it feel perfect for THIS movie and the scenes that it is used in.
In summary, this is a really, really good film and you should watch it, but I promised I'd tell you my first experience with it and why it means so much to me; when I was 15 me, my dad and my stepmother were all supposed to go and see the film in the IMAX together, unfortunately my dad got ill and it was cancelled. A few days later, my step-mum was supposed to be taking me to the train station, to stay with my birth mother, but unbeknownst to me, she took me to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, it wasn't in IMAX but I didn't care, I got to spend some extra quality time with my step-mum and watch a bada** film before I left and it's a memory that perseveres through the many that have faded.
I'm going to give Dawn of the Planet of the Apes a 9/10. Thank you for reading this LONG review and have a lovely day or night, wherever you may be.
A Great Sequel
Doublej2000513 March 2021
A really great follow up that builds on what the first film set up, and still features fantastic effects, performances and action, even if they still haven't fixed some of the problems with the original. The big issue across these two films is that the human characters are very one-note and bland. Gary Oldman is the only complex human character in it - the rest just have one personality trait that is well explored, if that, and a lot of them make very stupid decisions. But on the flip side, Caesar is a fantastic character, and I really like how the apes' opinions on humans are affected directly by their experiences of them - it makes their characters a lot better. Andy Serkis is still fantastic, and the effects have aged very, very well. The action is really well shot, and has a really nice gritty feel, particularly in the second half. I will say that the first half was a tad slow for me, but I did appreciate how the film spent time building up the characters in order to go all out for the finale. The cinematography is strong and the story is well developed - those opening few minutes really pack a punch now. Overall, I wouldn't call this one of the best sequels of all time, but it is a genuinely great and recommendable film.
"Dawn" offers spectacular writing and direction but also emotional depth, the character arcs of Caesar and Koba is a reason alone to experience this film - My Ultimate Review
Holt3447 May 2023
Matt Reeves took over directing duties from Rupert Wyatt, for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes along with the third installment titled "War". What to say about his direction and visual storytelling? It's superb and he was rightfully chosen for this franchise. The screenplay is once again written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, but Mark Bomback joins them. The writing is smart and it's been both directed and written with intelligence, wanting to put research first instead of imagination first. The themes they bring up, from the script and how Matt Reeves brought that to the screen. The story and all the characters, new and old, are so rich. It stars Andy Serkis as Caesar and alongside him are a brilliant cast with Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Kirk Acevedo. With this cast of brilliant actors, comes a bunch of brilliant performances. Andy Serkis gets to do much more in the role as Caesar, verbally I mean, here he's still one of the film's highlights. But Jason Clarke, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Gary Oldman and Keri Russell stand out a lot from the human characters whilst Toby Kebbell is there alongside with Andy Serkis as having one of the best performances. You see Toby's character, Koba, was only briefly seen in the first film but is one of the leads here. Mark Hughes from Forbes stated that Kebbell's performance as Koba truly defined the film, and compared Kebbell's performance to that of Heath Ledger's as The Joker in The Dark Knight. It's one of the film's best character arcs, hugely thanks to the writing and the character's sympathetic motivations due to his history of abuse. The interesting thing is how this character have grown to be and are now cited as one of the best, most developed and sympathetic movie villains of the 2010s. All thanks to three things; Toby Kebbell's performance, the writing and Matt Reeves' direction.
In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, human survivors battle to stay alive in the wake of a deadly pandemic, while Caesar tries to maintain control over his expanding ape community.
The story has such emotional depth, it's written and directed so brilliantly that you just fall in love with the characters and world built. The visual effects are one of the reasons why it's so easy to get immersed, it looks spectacular. It also sounds spectacular, with the sound design but especially the musical score, Michael Giacchino's score is truly brilliant and works so well with the emotional drama along with the memorable sequences and action. The action sequences are terrific, directed and performed to such perfection. Matt Reeves' direction is one of the film's many highlights, I couldn't picture anyone else to helm this movie. It's shot so beautifully, with imagery that'll stay in your mind for years after you've seen this film. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was a commercial success for a reason, becoming the eighth-highest grossing film of 2014 and the highest-grossing film in the franchise. It also received numerous awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
If you decide to rewatch this film, or this whole trilogy, you might find yourself in the same boots as me. You notice the themes more than watching solely for the spectacular experience the Apes films have to offer. Theme of fatherhood is present here like the previous film, but now it's Caesar who's the father. We also see the difference of two people, who're trying to live together to find peace, but like in the real world, greed leads to questionable actions. I think this is a great film, a perfect sequel that expands on lore and its characters, a story worth telling. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a post apocalyptic SciFi film, with half its cast being Simonians, would an outsider to the franchise ever think this story and these characters would ever be more human than in other films. It's incredible from start to finish, enough tension and suspension to satisfy anyone.
In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, human survivors battle to stay alive in the wake of a deadly pandemic, while Caesar tries to maintain control over his expanding ape community.
The story has such emotional depth, it's written and directed so brilliantly that you just fall in love with the characters and world built. The visual effects are one of the reasons why it's so easy to get immersed, it looks spectacular. It also sounds spectacular, with the sound design but especially the musical score, Michael Giacchino's score is truly brilliant and works so well with the emotional drama along with the memorable sequences and action. The action sequences are terrific, directed and performed to such perfection. Matt Reeves' direction is one of the film's many highlights, I couldn't picture anyone else to helm this movie. It's shot so beautifully, with imagery that'll stay in your mind for years after you've seen this film. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was a commercial success for a reason, becoming the eighth-highest grossing film of 2014 and the highest-grossing film in the franchise. It also received numerous awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
If you decide to rewatch this film, or this whole trilogy, you might find yourself in the same boots as me. You notice the themes more than watching solely for the spectacular experience the Apes films have to offer. Theme of fatherhood is present here like the previous film, but now it's Caesar who's the father. We also see the difference of two people, who're trying to live together to find peace, but like in the real world, greed leads to questionable actions. I think this is a great film, a perfect sequel that expands on lore and its characters, a story worth telling. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a post apocalyptic SciFi film, with half its cast being Simonians, would an outsider to the franchise ever think this story and these characters would ever be more human than in other films. It's incredible from start to finish, enough tension and suspension to satisfy anyone.
"Apes...do not want war!"
michaelRokeefe21 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
It has been ten years since their escape; a massive group of super-intelligent apes, led by Caesar(Andy Serkis), live deep in the woods and thrive in a hunting/gathering culture. A group of civilians not killed by the Simian Flu pandemic are gathered in San Francisco and have been degraded by civil unrest, economic collapse and a shortage of power. A small group of humans led by Malcolm(Jason Clarke)have found an abandon hydroelectric dam in the woods and being able to repair it and get it running again could provide much needed power to summon other survivors for help. But something has gone very wrong; an ape has discovered the group. An iffy peace agreement is reached between the humans and apes, but goes awry when a human gun is found that breaks the treaty. An all-out war is unable to avoid, with the conflict determining which species will dominate the planet.
This installment of the franchise seems to be written better and there is noticeable character development with the humans as well as the apes. Filmed in and around San Francisco, New Orleans and Canada...cinematography is outstanding. The CGI is awesome. There are intense sequences and images of violence which is understandable during brutal battle to the death.
The cast also includes: Gary Oldman, Terry Kebbell, Keri Russell, Nick Thurston, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Karin Konoval, Larramie Doc Shaw, Judy Greer and Kirk Acevedo.
This installment of the franchise seems to be written better and there is noticeable character development with the humans as well as the apes. Filmed in and around San Francisco, New Orleans and Canada...cinematography is outstanding. The CGI is awesome. There are intense sequences and images of violence which is understandable during brutal battle to the death.
The cast also includes: Gary Oldman, Terry Kebbell, Keri Russell, Nick Thurston, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Karin Konoval, Larramie Doc Shaw, Judy Greer and Kirk Acevedo.
A blockbuster that takes a bigger approach and with brains and heart
TheLittleSongbird20 July 2014
As someone who really enjoyed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, expectations were high for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. And apart from a rushed ending and the underdeveloped human characters Dawn of the Planet of the Apes didn't disappoint and is just as good. It looks amazing for starters, the cinematography and lighting are of great beauty and atmosphere and the scenery is equally striking. But the visual highlight, and most likely the best thing about the film, are the special effects for the apes, that they look so real and that it's hard to believe they were done by computer is testament to how good they look. The soundtrack is haunting and rousing with no dirge-like tempos and it doesn't feel overbearing either, even with sound with as much authenticity as here. The script also impresses, it's very intelligently done and has a lot of tension and heart. What impressed even more was how simple and nuanced some of it was, like when the apes speak they only need to say a few words and it still feels like it's saying a lot, a couple of times even a sideways glance brings more impact than you'd think. The story takes a bigger and somewhat bolder approach than Rise of the Planet of the Apes and this is an instance of it working very well, especially with the visceral action sequences which are very tense and look terrific and in the incredibly intense and emotional final act. It's compelling stuff where you feel compassion for and identify with every step of the way with Caesar and his family. Matt Reeves' direction doesn't make the mistake of being overblown or lethargic, there is at least a sense that he knows what he's doing. The acting is solid, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell are charming leads and Gary Oldman while criminally underused still gives a spirited performances. But other than the special effects the other highlight is the characterisation of the apes, which is just superb especially for Caesar(who is by far and way the most relatable and most compelling character in the entire film), Andy Serkis never fails to amaze me. All in all a really well done blockbuster, although the human characters do not register anywhere near as well as the special effects and the apes characterisations. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Intelligent and thrilling storytelling with amazing CGI – Science-Fiction of the best possible kind
gogoschka-17 July 2014
Among Hollywood's recent output of mediocre (and in some cases: downright abysmal) remakes of Sci-Fi classics, 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' was the rare movie which stood out, for it had as much of a brain as it had a heart – plus an original approach to the well-known material and great visuals. Having said that, 'Rise' practically pales in comparison to Matt Reeves' sequel: the upcoming 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' is as close to a Science-Fiction masterpiece as a 170 million PG-13 Hollywood summer blockbuster can possibly get.
The storyline picks up ten years after we saw Ceasar and his fellow simian escapees seek refuge in the woods near San Francisco, and although the film's trailers already gave away pretty much everything that happened during that time (and alas, way too much of what will happen), I'm not going to spoil anything for those who carefully avoided watching said trailers. As with all my reviews, instead of giving away any details about the story, I'll elaborate on all other aspects of the movie.
What needs to be mentioned first is what an astonishing achievement 'Dawn' is when it comes to the use of CGI. I'm normally very critical towards the (over-)use of CGI – but the level of craftsmanship displayed here simply has to be admired. It only took me seconds to forget I was watching digital characters (brought to life through the outstanding motion-capture performances by Andy Serkis, Toby Kebbell and Judy Grier – to name but a few), and I can't begin to imagine what a task it must have been for the artists and wizards in the animation department to work on every background and every tiny little detail of every character until this level of seamlessness and reality could be achieved.
But nearly every other aspect of the movie has been realized equally well: Michael Giacchino's haunting musical score fits and reflects the drama on screen perfectly, while the – often terrifying – beauty of the images on screen had me immediately wondering who the DoP was (now I know: Michael Seresin, the genius veteran DoP of such classics as 'Midnight Express' and 'Angel Heart'). When it comes to the action; well, 'Dawn' is not your usual summer blockbuster. This is no light-hearted, comic-book-style fantasy film with fun, over-the-top action scenes. What we have here is a gritty, realistic portrayal of a slowly escalating conflict, and when we do get to the battle scenes in the third act, those scenes are a spectacular, mesmerizing visual feast (and ultimately heart breaking).
But the core of this film – and also the reason why the action scenes in the third act really do have an impact and all the mayhem really gets to you – is the intelligent, skilfully told story with its well-drawn, believable characters (portrayed by equally believable actors). The tragic simian/human conflict mirrors our real – and very human – past and present day wars and social frictions in a very credible way and thus makes this film resonate far beyond what any mere Sci-Fi premise would let you expect.
So my verdict: With its beautiful imagery, highly relevant story and breath-taking effects, 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' is as close to a Science-Fiction masterpiece as its mass-audience orientated constrictions allowed it to be (which – in this case – is very close); an astonishing achievement and highly recommended. 9 stars out of 10.
Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054200841/
The storyline picks up ten years after we saw Ceasar and his fellow simian escapees seek refuge in the woods near San Francisco, and although the film's trailers already gave away pretty much everything that happened during that time (and alas, way too much of what will happen), I'm not going to spoil anything for those who carefully avoided watching said trailers. As with all my reviews, instead of giving away any details about the story, I'll elaborate on all other aspects of the movie.
What needs to be mentioned first is what an astonishing achievement 'Dawn' is when it comes to the use of CGI. I'm normally very critical towards the (over-)use of CGI – but the level of craftsmanship displayed here simply has to be admired. It only took me seconds to forget I was watching digital characters (brought to life through the outstanding motion-capture performances by Andy Serkis, Toby Kebbell and Judy Grier – to name but a few), and I can't begin to imagine what a task it must have been for the artists and wizards in the animation department to work on every background and every tiny little detail of every character until this level of seamlessness and reality could be achieved.
But nearly every other aspect of the movie has been realized equally well: Michael Giacchino's haunting musical score fits and reflects the drama on screen perfectly, while the – often terrifying – beauty of the images on screen had me immediately wondering who the DoP was (now I know: Michael Seresin, the genius veteran DoP of such classics as 'Midnight Express' and 'Angel Heart'). When it comes to the action; well, 'Dawn' is not your usual summer blockbuster. This is no light-hearted, comic-book-style fantasy film with fun, over-the-top action scenes. What we have here is a gritty, realistic portrayal of a slowly escalating conflict, and when we do get to the battle scenes in the third act, those scenes are a spectacular, mesmerizing visual feast (and ultimately heart breaking).
But the core of this film – and also the reason why the action scenes in the third act really do have an impact and all the mayhem really gets to you – is the intelligent, skilfully told story with its well-drawn, believable characters (portrayed by equally believable actors). The tragic simian/human conflict mirrors our real – and very human – past and present day wars and social frictions in a very credible way and thus makes this film resonate far beyond what any mere Sci-Fi premise would let you expect.
So my verdict: With its beautiful imagery, highly relevant story and breath-taking effects, 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' is as close to a Science-Fiction masterpiece as its mass-audience orientated constrictions allowed it to be (which – in this case – is very close); an astonishing achievement and highly recommended. 9 stars out of 10.
Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054200841/
Apes On Horses
ThomasDrufke10 July 2014
The Planet of the Apes franchise has always fascinated me but I hadn't been interested until seeing Rise of the Planet of the Apes a few years back. The emotional depth that that film brought to the table was unparalleled in terms of big blockbusters. I was attached to Caesar and several of the other apes. That movie surprised everyone so it isn't much of a surprise that the sequel 'Dawn' looked even better as they hired Matt Reeves as the replacement director. The special effects are some of the best I have ever seen and the acting was surprisingly outstanding. The trailers looked incredible so my excitement was about as high as it could possibly be for an apes movie. And the film doesn't disappoint.
The film takes place at least 8 years after 'Rise' and the time jump is much to their benefit. It allowed Caesar to step into his role as leader of all the apes and link between the apes and humans. Speaking of the effects, some of the facial expression the apes gave were just devastating. And for me to say that I was on the verge of tears in a movie where apes can talk should sound absurd but its the truth. Caesar's family is present throughout and his eldest son is the one that hit home. When you see him being put into war unwillingly after life changing events you just cant but help feeling terrible for him. Koba, the corrupt ape who has always believed humans are more dangerous than Caesar thinks is also a conflicting character. There is a scene between him and Caesar near the first act that made me feel sympathy for him and whatever other apes were also tortured. Dreyfuss, played by Gary Oldman also stood out for the short periods that he appears. Much like Koba, he is a man who lost so much that he has lost faith in the world and wants nothing to do with the other species. It's these two characters who keep the conflict rising as peace is on the downfall and war is on the brink. The only real weak part of the film is that the trailers show a lot of the important scenes and I'm a guy who watches trailers everyday. I knew a little bit too much.
To say that Caesar is one of the greatest leaders in film history is not an overstatement. When he is on screen you cant help but be mesmerized by the immense strength and gravitas that comes along with the character. Now it is time for the academy to honor the greatness that this film brings to all aspects of filmmaking. I wouldn't go as far as saying Serkis deserves a best actor nod, but I wouldn't disagree if they gave it to him. The performance is one for the ages.
The third act is brilliant in every way a film should be. It was unexpected, visually dazzling, and emotionally fulfilling. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from the get go. It's one of the best movies of the summer and definitely made it's mark in motion capture history.
+Caesar's unparalleled leadership
+Special effects and motion capture are just insanely good
+Apes facial expressions can be emotionally devastating
+Koba & Dreyfuss similarly troubled
-I knew a bit too much from trailers
9.2/10
SECOND VIEWING 9.6/10
The film takes place at least 8 years after 'Rise' and the time jump is much to their benefit. It allowed Caesar to step into his role as leader of all the apes and link between the apes and humans. Speaking of the effects, some of the facial expression the apes gave were just devastating. And for me to say that I was on the verge of tears in a movie where apes can talk should sound absurd but its the truth. Caesar's family is present throughout and his eldest son is the one that hit home. When you see him being put into war unwillingly after life changing events you just cant but help feeling terrible for him. Koba, the corrupt ape who has always believed humans are more dangerous than Caesar thinks is also a conflicting character. There is a scene between him and Caesar near the first act that made me feel sympathy for him and whatever other apes were also tortured. Dreyfuss, played by Gary Oldman also stood out for the short periods that he appears. Much like Koba, he is a man who lost so much that he has lost faith in the world and wants nothing to do with the other species. It's these two characters who keep the conflict rising as peace is on the downfall and war is on the brink. The only real weak part of the film is that the trailers show a lot of the important scenes and I'm a guy who watches trailers everyday. I knew a little bit too much.
To say that Caesar is one of the greatest leaders in film history is not an overstatement. When he is on screen you cant help but be mesmerized by the immense strength and gravitas that comes along with the character. Now it is time for the academy to honor the greatness that this film brings to all aspects of filmmaking. I wouldn't go as far as saying Serkis deserves a best actor nod, but I wouldn't disagree if they gave it to him. The performance is one for the ages.
The third act is brilliant in every way a film should be. It was unexpected, visually dazzling, and emotionally fulfilling. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from the get go. It's one of the best movies of the summer and definitely made it's mark in motion capture history.
+Caesar's unparalleled leadership
+Special effects and motion capture are just insanely good
+Apes facial expressions can be emotionally devastating
+Koba & Dreyfuss similarly troubled
-I knew a bit too much from trailers
9.2/10
SECOND VIEWING 9.6/10
remarkable
Kirpianuscus26 February 2018
I love the stories around "Planet of Apes" in their different adaptations. but "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is more than a good film from the serie. it has a powerfull, convincing, dramatic story. it has CGI as basic tool and that is fantastic for the art to use it not as jewel but as the right tool. it has the perfect cast. and it is a smart mix of parable, warning, feelings and picture of human virtues and sins. it has all the chances to be one of films proposing the new perspective about the near reality. that does it special. and more than a cityplex movie. but a good opportunity to reflect, in not conventional way, about the future of mankind. and that does it a real remarkable film.
Amazing ape performances, some stupid humans though
Christopher_Reid12 February 2016
Dawn follows on 10 years after Rise. A large part of humanity has been killed by a deadly virus which swept the globe and Caesar and his ape community live somewhere in San Francisco. The apes teach each-other to read and write and most are fluent in sign language. They hunt other animals en masse with well-timed plans. Meanwhile, the humans are in a dystopian society, hanging around in an enclosure with limited electricity and no communications with humans in other areas. In fact, their power supply will run out in a few weeks unless they can reactivate a dam near where the apes are located.
A mishap occurs where an ape ends up dead (due to a guy called Carver) and Caesar confronts the humans with his army warning that they should never again go into ape territory. It's a powerful and convincing moment.
I've never hated a character more than I hated Carver (Kirk Acevedo) in this movie. He is loud, stupid, arrogant, rude, aggressive, dismissive of anything he doesn't agree with and almost single- handedly causes a war between apes and humans. He's antogonistic with the other humans and adds nothing of value to the movie. He cuts off Ellie (Keri Russell), emphatically proclaiming that obviously the apes are responsible for the simian virus (he is incorrect). I can't stand when movies turn to devices like this. It's unnecessary and cheapens the existing tension in the film. The other humans are stupid by extension by putting up with him and seemingly forgiving his countless mistakes, constant risk-taking and unpleasant negativity.
The apes themselves represent a major achievement in film-making. The cgi is incredible although the chimpanzee faces are more obviously fake. The orangutans are especially unbelievable. I was really blown away. It's important to give credit to the sound design as well. The sounds give the apes weight and presence. You don't think about the breathing or the steps or the subtle shifting of weight but they all make noise which is critical to making it seem real.
And the ape performances are great. The eyes of the apes are intense and knowing. Their movement is very natural, both with the body and the face. They put so much expression into what they say with sign language and also when they actually speak. Andy Serkis is the go-to man when it comes to ping-pong-balls-on-a-green-suit acting and he must have delivered here because Caesar is a powerful character with a demanding presence. Koba is also excellent but then so are all the apes. They're incredible to watch and ironically bring a lot of humanity to the movie, moreso than the humans.
The way Koba eventually leads a battle against the humans is very logical and devious. I felt like it echoed WWI in some ways. But there are many gaps in logic in the movie. The humans are far too lazy in protecting a weapons depot. Malcolm (Jason Clarke) does a reasonable job of trying to connect with Caesar and the apes but he fails to warn that the humans are arming and preparing for a likely battle. He doesn't do enough to initiate diplomacy and communication between the apes and humans. Why aren't the humans more excited in finding intelligent, speaking apes? This is a major revelation! A chance to connect with a separate species.
Gary Oldman is one of my favourite actors but he can only do so much with so little screen time and such weak lines. His character ends up being disappointingly short-sighted.
The music was disappointing. Parts of it sounded like Agent Cody Banks or something - like a goofy kid's spy movie. Michael Giacchino seems inconsistent, perhaps it depends on the director or kind of movie he's working on. Some of the more sentimental parts were okay but most of the music sounded tired, contrived and forgettable.
In summary, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a mixed bag. It has the makings of a great film with the potential to give profound insights into how conflicts grow and wars begin. Caesar's growing moral compass is powerful to watch. The apes make the movie worth seeing alone. But the humans are dull and stupid by comparison. The acting, lines and characterisation is weak for the humans. The action scenes are really well done. The relationship between Caesar and Koba is perhaps the core of the movie and it's very well done. Take out 40 minutes of weaker material and substitute 20 minutes of smart ideas and motivations and Dawn would be a masterpiece.
A mishap occurs where an ape ends up dead (due to a guy called Carver) and Caesar confronts the humans with his army warning that they should never again go into ape territory. It's a powerful and convincing moment.
I've never hated a character more than I hated Carver (Kirk Acevedo) in this movie. He is loud, stupid, arrogant, rude, aggressive, dismissive of anything he doesn't agree with and almost single- handedly causes a war between apes and humans. He's antogonistic with the other humans and adds nothing of value to the movie. He cuts off Ellie (Keri Russell), emphatically proclaiming that obviously the apes are responsible for the simian virus (he is incorrect). I can't stand when movies turn to devices like this. It's unnecessary and cheapens the existing tension in the film. The other humans are stupid by extension by putting up with him and seemingly forgiving his countless mistakes, constant risk-taking and unpleasant negativity.
The apes themselves represent a major achievement in film-making. The cgi is incredible although the chimpanzee faces are more obviously fake. The orangutans are especially unbelievable. I was really blown away. It's important to give credit to the sound design as well. The sounds give the apes weight and presence. You don't think about the breathing or the steps or the subtle shifting of weight but they all make noise which is critical to making it seem real.
And the ape performances are great. The eyes of the apes are intense and knowing. Their movement is very natural, both with the body and the face. They put so much expression into what they say with sign language and also when they actually speak. Andy Serkis is the go-to man when it comes to ping-pong-balls-on-a-green-suit acting and he must have delivered here because Caesar is a powerful character with a demanding presence. Koba is also excellent but then so are all the apes. They're incredible to watch and ironically bring a lot of humanity to the movie, moreso than the humans.
The way Koba eventually leads a battle against the humans is very logical and devious. I felt like it echoed WWI in some ways. But there are many gaps in logic in the movie. The humans are far too lazy in protecting a weapons depot. Malcolm (Jason Clarke) does a reasonable job of trying to connect with Caesar and the apes but he fails to warn that the humans are arming and preparing for a likely battle. He doesn't do enough to initiate diplomacy and communication between the apes and humans. Why aren't the humans more excited in finding intelligent, speaking apes? This is a major revelation! A chance to connect with a separate species.
Gary Oldman is one of my favourite actors but he can only do so much with so little screen time and such weak lines. His character ends up being disappointingly short-sighted.
The music was disappointing. Parts of it sounded like Agent Cody Banks or something - like a goofy kid's spy movie. Michael Giacchino seems inconsistent, perhaps it depends on the director or kind of movie he's working on. Some of the more sentimental parts were okay but most of the music sounded tired, contrived and forgettable.
In summary, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a mixed bag. It has the makings of a great film with the potential to give profound insights into how conflicts grow and wars begin. Caesar's growing moral compass is powerful to watch. The apes make the movie worth seeing alone. But the humans are dull and stupid by comparison. The acting, lines and characterisation is weak for the humans. The action scenes are really well done. The relationship between Caesar and Koba is perhaps the core of the movie and it's very well done. Take out 40 minutes of weaker material and substitute 20 minutes of smart ideas and motivations and Dawn would be a masterpiece.
You'll believe an ape can talk.
SnoopyStyle23 April 2015
Human civilization collapses after the spread of the Simian Flu and worldwide fighting. The Apes that escaped from the Gen-Sys have formed a thriving colony of super smart apes under the leadership of Caesar in northern California. A group of humans led by Malcolm (Jason Clarke) encounter them which turns deadly. Carver kills one of the apes. There is a large human community gathered in the remains of San Francisco led by Dreyfus (Gary Oldman). They need to restart the generating station but it's located near the ape home. Malcolm has girlfriend Ellie (Keri Russell) and son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee). He goes to negotiate with the apes while Dreyfus prepares for war. Meanwhile Ceasar is challenged by Koba.
The realism achieved with the ape characters is terrific. They are almost human and distinguishable from each other. The story is compelling. The most interesting thing is that this is more of an ape movie. The apes have some of the most interesting roles. Clarke leads the human contingent competently. Oldman adds a little gravitas. This is a great sequel to the surprisingly good 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'.
The realism achieved with the ape characters is terrific. They are almost human and distinguishable from each other. The story is compelling. The most interesting thing is that this is more of an ape movie. The apes have some of the most interesting roles. Clarke leads the human contingent competently. Oldman adds a little gravitas. This is a great sequel to the surprisingly good 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'.
High class monkey business
bob-the-movie-man21 July 2014
There are some films you go to see with low expectations and back in 2011 Rupert Wyatt's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was one of those. After the Charlton Heston classic, a long series of increasingly poor sequels and a failed Tim Burton reboot, apprehension was high. But how wrong could I be. This was 100% a 10/10 film (if I'd been doing these reviews in those days): an epic and gripping story; great performances from James Franco, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto and Harry Potter star Tom Felton; and stunningly executed special effects, with Andy Serkis's performance delivering amazing depth of feeling and emotion. (The scene where Serkis's character Caesar first speaks is one of my top 10 "most goose-bumpy" moments in cinema history).
Now, 4 years later, we have the sequel - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - which, given how much I loved the original film, I approached with a similar feeling of apprehension. But, I am delighted to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes neatly takes over in its opening titles where the closing titles of the first film left off. The so-called Simean flu has wiped out 499 of every 500 people on earth, deftly explaining why James Franco and Freida Pinto fail to reprise their roles in the sequel: in fact it would have been an unrealistic cop-out if either had done. Instead - monkey business aside - we have a brand new human cast led by Jason Clarke ("Zero Dark Thirty", "The Great Gatsby"), Keri Russell ("MI-3's" 'bomb in the head' girl) and heavy hitter Gary Oldman. These characters are trying to rebuild a new society for the survivors in San Francisco, but their desire for power (of the volts and amps variety) puts them in direct conflict with the emerging simian society deep in the redwoods. Much conflict ensues, not only between the two tribes but between the factions of the two societies.
Once again, there is a good story by original writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, joined by Mark Bomback: underneath the set-piece action sequences, the majority of the drama comes from the relationships between the characters, and especially that between Caesar (Serkis) and his estranged son played extremely well by Nick Thurston, culminating in a remarkable stand-out scene between the two in Caesar's old home that is genuinely moving. And another specific callout was Yorkshire-born Toby Kebbell playing the emotionally and mentally wounded Koba: his scenes in the human armoury - think Heath Ledger's Joker crossed with PG Tips advert - are both funny and distubing in equal measure.
Is it as good as "Rise"? No, not in my view. The first film was novel and deep, and "Dawn" is more superficial in comparison. It is also far more of an action film (or "a bit fighty" as my dear wife described it), with some standout battle scenes that are a masterpiece of special effects. If "Rise" could be compared to the original "Alien", "Dawn" is much more like "Aliens" - wham, bang, thank-you Simian.
The director this time is wunderkind Matt Reeves ("Cloverfield", "Let Me In"), directing with panache and a narrative drive that only occasionally lets up for emotional punch. The acting is good and (as flagged above) the special effects are outstanding: the production team clearly saw "I am Legend" and wanted to go one better with the San Francisco streets. And all topped off with a fine and un-obtrusive score by Michael Giacchino.
Highly recommended, and I am now looking forward to the next sequel, planned for a 2016 release.
(If you enjoyed this review, please see my library of other reviews at bob-the-movie-man.com and enter your email address to "Follow the Fad". Thanks.)
Now, 4 years later, we have the sequel - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - which, given how much I loved the original film, I approached with a similar feeling of apprehension. But, I am delighted to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes neatly takes over in its opening titles where the closing titles of the first film left off. The so-called Simean flu has wiped out 499 of every 500 people on earth, deftly explaining why James Franco and Freida Pinto fail to reprise their roles in the sequel: in fact it would have been an unrealistic cop-out if either had done. Instead - monkey business aside - we have a brand new human cast led by Jason Clarke ("Zero Dark Thirty", "The Great Gatsby"), Keri Russell ("MI-3's" 'bomb in the head' girl) and heavy hitter Gary Oldman. These characters are trying to rebuild a new society for the survivors in San Francisco, but their desire for power (of the volts and amps variety) puts them in direct conflict with the emerging simian society deep in the redwoods. Much conflict ensues, not only between the two tribes but between the factions of the two societies.
Once again, there is a good story by original writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, joined by Mark Bomback: underneath the set-piece action sequences, the majority of the drama comes from the relationships between the characters, and especially that between Caesar (Serkis) and his estranged son played extremely well by Nick Thurston, culminating in a remarkable stand-out scene between the two in Caesar's old home that is genuinely moving. And another specific callout was Yorkshire-born Toby Kebbell playing the emotionally and mentally wounded Koba: his scenes in the human armoury - think Heath Ledger's Joker crossed with PG Tips advert - are both funny and distubing in equal measure.
Is it as good as "Rise"? No, not in my view. The first film was novel and deep, and "Dawn" is more superficial in comparison. It is also far more of an action film (or "a bit fighty" as my dear wife described it), with some standout battle scenes that are a masterpiece of special effects. If "Rise" could be compared to the original "Alien", "Dawn" is much more like "Aliens" - wham, bang, thank-you Simian.
The director this time is wunderkind Matt Reeves ("Cloverfield", "Let Me In"), directing with panache and a narrative drive that only occasionally lets up for emotional punch. The acting is good and (as flagged above) the special effects are outstanding: the production team clearly saw "I am Legend" and wanted to go one better with the San Francisco streets. And all topped off with a fine and un-obtrusive score by Michael Giacchino.
Highly recommended, and I am now looking forward to the next sequel, planned for a 2016 release.
(If you enjoyed this review, please see my library of other reviews at bob-the-movie-man.com and enter your email address to "Follow the Fad". Thanks.)
Well meaning, but a bit too full of its own importance, becoming a bit heavy and ponderous in the process
bob the moo5 October 2014
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.
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.
You're kidding, right?
rich735430 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
My views of the childish plot can be summed up with the following:
I'm mounting a peace expedition to talk to the apes; who do I take?
First, I'll take my girlfriend who has medical expertise. She'll be more valuable to us than she would here in the colony taking care of the sick and indigent, of which their are surprisingly few.
Next, I'll take my teenage son because he refuses to take no for an answer. What's a poor father to do?
Finally, since this is an extremely important peace mission, I'll take the guy who previously shot an ape, shows no self control at all, and obviously wishes they were all dead. What could go wrong?
A great team, let's move out.
I'm mounting a peace expedition to talk to the apes; who do I take?
First, I'll take my girlfriend who has medical expertise. She'll be more valuable to us than she would here in the colony taking care of the sick and indigent, of which their are surprisingly few.
Next, I'll take my teenage son because he refuses to take no for an answer. What's a poor father to do?
Finally, since this is an extremely important peace mission, I'll take the guy who previously shot an ape, shows no self control at all, and obviously wishes they were all dead. What could go wrong?
A great team, let's move out.
Good CGI and an Engaging Story
atlasmb21 July 2014
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is the latest chapter in the POTA franchise. I must admit that I had not seen any of the recent releases--those that rely heavily on CGI--until this one.
If you are wondering whether or not this film stands on its own, it does. After a quick updating of the last film (Rise of...), the story advances without any confusion for the viewer.
Since this film does use CGI extensively, let me say that the effects are extremely well done. In my opinion, the most difficult thing to pull of is to make apes on horseback look realistic and natural. They came as close to it as I think can be done.
Another reasonable question might be: When so many of the characters are apes, are you really able to tell them apart easily? Again, yes. Visual cues are utilized, making it very easy to distinguish the ape characters. This might seem like a given, but it is essential to enjoyable viewing.
The story itself is interesting and engaging. The relationship of ape to man is a touchy thing in this film, due to years of abuse and violence. There are those who wish a peaceful coexistence and those, naturally, who wish for war. Even as conflict ensues, opposing forces are at work. It is critical that the inter-ape communication and the inter-species communication be somewhat believable, and the script handles that issue well. There are subtitles when needed. Somehow, they never seem to interfere with the flow of the story.
I recommend this film to almost anyone, subject to the PG-13 rating. Though violence is depicted, it is not gory. Nor is it championed. Instead, the film promotes peaceful communication and cooperation.
If you are wondering whether or not this film stands on its own, it does. After a quick updating of the last film (Rise of...), the story advances without any confusion for the viewer.
Since this film does use CGI extensively, let me say that the effects are extremely well done. In my opinion, the most difficult thing to pull of is to make apes on horseback look realistic and natural. They came as close to it as I think can be done.
Another reasonable question might be: When so many of the characters are apes, are you really able to tell them apart easily? Again, yes. Visual cues are utilized, making it very easy to distinguish the ape characters. This might seem like a given, but it is essential to enjoyable viewing.
The story itself is interesting and engaging. The relationship of ape to man is a touchy thing in this film, due to years of abuse and violence. There are those who wish a peaceful coexistence and those, naturally, who wish for war. Even as conflict ensues, opposing forces are at work. It is critical that the inter-ape communication and the inter-species communication be somewhat believable, and the script handles that issue well. There are subtitles when needed. Somehow, they never seem to interfere with the flow of the story.
I recommend this film to almost anyone, subject to the PG-13 rating. Though violence is depicted, it is not gory. Nor is it championed. Instead, the film promotes peaceful communication and cooperation.
Much Better Than The First Film Which Isn't A Massive Endorsement
Theo Robertson20 July 2014
After seeing RISE on Channel 4 last night I promised myself I wasn't going to waste two hours of my life and money on a bus and cinema ticket to watch a Hollywood blockbuster sequel . Maybe the Summer heat has been frying my brain because I found myself taking a long walk to Edinburgh city centre and spending £8.20 on a ticket to watch DAWN . Perhaps I was trying to teach myself a lesson in that I should always stick to gut instinct ? When someone makes a decision they should stick to it otherwise bad things might happen
DAWN starts in exactly the same manner as RISE finished . Simian flu sweeps across the world killing billions of humans and this economy of storytelling is very effective indeed . Unfortunately when we're introduced to the surviving humans there's been a massive spanner thrown in to the works because they're all living in a small district of San Francisco . What's wrong with that you ask ? Common sense should tell you that's the worst place you can stay in after a catastrophe . As John Wyndham and John Christopher point out in their novels a city is nothing more than a concrete desert . Surely they'd be hundreds of thousands of dead bodies in the city ? Won't this lead to all types of secondary diseases ? How you going to farm crops in a city ? I suppose there might be some supplies left but after ten years of industrial collapse people still have access to cigars and cigarettes . I'm guessing simian flu only affects non smokers ?
I'm also guessing you're not supposed to think too deeply about this scenario because it doesn't really hold up to much examination . Characters are shown to having access to military hardware but the military are conspicuous by their absence . This is probably down to plot function . The human survivors need access to a hydro dam just outside the city in order to gain electricity and kick off the plot . The human enclave need electricity in order to power communications to contact other human communities but it's impossible to believe that in ten years after the flu outbreak not one single warship has berthed in the docks , or a military plane has landed at the airport or a self sufficient military unit has entered the city
Another slight problem is that the characters are like in the previous film rather one dimensional and underwritten . We've got the nice male human character , the nice female human character , the bad ethnic minority human , the good ethnic minority human etc and this is mirrored by the ape community . If you've any knowledge of Soviet history you might just second guess how things pan out in the ape community and it's the actors playing the apes in a motion capture suits who make the biggest impression . If you're going to cast Gary Oldman at least give him a part deserving of his talents and have him do something interesting with his character
It's a pity the film is let down by a succession of small flaws because I did like it but wanted to love it and the movie doesn't quite pull it off . It is a solid relatively dark blockbuster better than the film that preceded it and better than most Summer fare that's been released over the last few years but don't think it's anywhere near deserving of its position of 150 on the IMDb top movies list and feel like the HOBBIT movies will quickly drop out of the list . As it stands the original franchise was probably more enjoyable as a whole due to its imagination
DAWN starts in exactly the same manner as RISE finished . Simian flu sweeps across the world killing billions of humans and this economy of storytelling is very effective indeed . Unfortunately when we're introduced to the surviving humans there's been a massive spanner thrown in to the works because they're all living in a small district of San Francisco . What's wrong with that you ask ? Common sense should tell you that's the worst place you can stay in after a catastrophe . As John Wyndham and John Christopher point out in their novels a city is nothing more than a concrete desert . Surely they'd be hundreds of thousands of dead bodies in the city ? Won't this lead to all types of secondary diseases ? How you going to farm crops in a city ? I suppose there might be some supplies left but after ten years of industrial collapse people still have access to cigars and cigarettes . I'm guessing simian flu only affects non smokers ?
I'm also guessing you're not supposed to think too deeply about this scenario because it doesn't really hold up to much examination . Characters are shown to having access to military hardware but the military are conspicuous by their absence . This is probably down to plot function . The human survivors need access to a hydro dam just outside the city in order to gain electricity and kick off the plot . The human enclave need electricity in order to power communications to contact other human communities but it's impossible to believe that in ten years after the flu outbreak not one single warship has berthed in the docks , or a military plane has landed at the airport or a self sufficient military unit has entered the city
Another slight problem is that the characters are like in the previous film rather one dimensional and underwritten . We've got the nice male human character , the nice female human character , the bad ethnic minority human , the good ethnic minority human etc and this is mirrored by the ape community . If you've any knowledge of Soviet history you might just second guess how things pan out in the ape community and it's the actors playing the apes in a motion capture suits who make the biggest impression . If you're going to cast Gary Oldman at least give him a part deserving of his talents and have him do something interesting with his character
It's a pity the film is let down by a succession of small flaws because I did like it but wanted to love it and the movie doesn't quite pull it off . It is a solid relatively dark blockbuster better than the film that preceded it and better than most Summer fare that's been released over the last few years but don't think it's anywhere near deserving of its position of 150 on the IMDb top movies list and feel like the HOBBIT movies will quickly drop out of the list . As it stands the original franchise was probably more enjoyable as a whole due to its imagination
The Art Of War Goes Ape Wild
TheAnimalMother27 September 2014
After 'Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes', I wasn't all that interested to even see this film. I didn't mind Rise, but to me it was no better than a 6 out of 10; It was nothing special. With all the good reviews and people raving about this film however, I thought well I'll give this franchise another shot, and boy was it worth it. This film is far superior to Rise in my view. There are a few parts that could have been done better here; But mainly this film is very solid writing wise and very entertaining. The film develops it's characters, especially many of the apes far better than most action films these days as well. The lead up to war here is done extremely well for the most part. To me this film is one of the great surprises of the year. 7.5/10
The Age Old Tale
AbhiMathews21 July 2014
Humans generally have a superiority complex that makes them often consider all other forms of life as inadequate. Civilization has exemplified the mass exploitation and selfishness humans are capable of in the past, and present, on numerous occasions. The Planet of the Apes series delves on this complex. It displays the vulnerabilities of the human race and how nothing is to be underestimated.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will surely entertain. As the sequel to the last instalment, we follow Caesar in his new habitat following the human pandemic instigated by the Simian influenza. In a world where the human population is depleted and infrastructure collapsed, society is broken apart and in a fragile state. With stubborn and selfish humans, the fate of humanity does not rest in good hands.
Watching this film, I cannot say there ever was a moment of dullness nor boredom. Though, for me, there was nothing exceptional about it. The plot is one that we have come to expect and the CGI was certainly state of the art. Putting this aside, it is the story of Caesar and the strive for freedom of all that captures this movie's true essence. Empathizing with these intelligent beings no longer being the tools of humans is one to both support and fear. It is this unique mixture of elements that make Dawn of the Planet of the Apes so touching yet stimulating.
This is a movie I'd recommend all to see since it offers a perspective many contemporary films fail to produce.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will surely entertain. As the sequel to the last instalment, we follow Caesar in his new habitat following the human pandemic instigated by the Simian influenza. In a world where the human population is depleted and infrastructure collapsed, society is broken apart and in a fragile state. With stubborn and selfish humans, the fate of humanity does not rest in good hands.
Watching this film, I cannot say there ever was a moment of dullness nor boredom. Though, for me, there was nothing exceptional about it. The plot is one that we have come to expect and the CGI was certainly state of the art. Putting this aside, it is the story of Caesar and the strive for freedom of all that captures this movie's true essence. Empathizing with these intelligent beings no longer being the tools of humans is one to both support and fear. It is this unique mixture of elements that make Dawn of the Planet of the Apes so touching yet stimulating.
This is a movie I'd recommend all to see since it offers a perspective many contemporary films fail to produce.
Disappointing. One step forward in CGI, two steps backward in story telling
Paynebyname28 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I had been really looking forward to Dawn but it was a wasted opportunity in my opinion.
I liked how in the original that you felt for Caesar and the apes and their plight was a simple one in just wanting to get to the forest. Okay an origin story always offers more meat but it had me a lot more involved than Dawn which was ultimately a leadership struggle film.
I felt this film was weaker because it descended into the rather clichéd dad trying to connect with his son, 2nd in command wants to take over, they have a big bust up at the end. If the main protagonists were humans and not superbly rendered apes, I think some more might think the story a little predictable, almost like the Lion King.
It's like how I thought the first was clever for showing the monkey strengths and ingenuity in outsmarting the humans. However in this film the monkeys wouldn't actually have been any good at aiming the guns or reloading. So although cool seeing them fire guns, the humans would still have had a tactical advantage.
I'm not saying this to be a spoil sport for the action scenes but it was lazy film making that the makers didn't then think of a clever way to use the monkey strengths to get round this tactical weakness.
Fox bundled the original director out of the way for daring to want to make something of equal calibre and switched in Reeves to create an inferior sequel that hit all of the generic blockbuster marks but had no real heart. Maybe this is proof that recreating the 'lightening in a bottle' of Rise does require a little more time and effort than simply throwing money at special effects.
For me it was one step forward in the technology and CGI but two steps back in the story telling. In Rise, the effects aided the story. In Dawn, they were the story.
I liked how in the original that you felt for Caesar and the apes and their plight was a simple one in just wanting to get to the forest. Okay an origin story always offers more meat but it had me a lot more involved than Dawn which was ultimately a leadership struggle film.
I felt this film was weaker because it descended into the rather clichéd dad trying to connect with his son, 2nd in command wants to take over, they have a big bust up at the end. If the main protagonists were humans and not superbly rendered apes, I think some more might think the story a little predictable, almost like the Lion King.
It's like how I thought the first was clever for showing the monkey strengths and ingenuity in outsmarting the humans. However in this film the monkeys wouldn't actually have been any good at aiming the guns or reloading. So although cool seeing them fire guns, the humans would still have had a tactical advantage.
I'm not saying this to be a spoil sport for the action scenes but it was lazy film making that the makers didn't then think of a clever way to use the monkey strengths to get round this tactical weakness.
Fox bundled the original director out of the way for daring to want to make something of equal calibre and switched in Reeves to create an inferior sequel that hit all of the generic blockbuster marks but had no real heart. Maybe this is proof that recreating the 'lightening in a bottle' of Rise does require a little more time and effort than simply throwing money at special effects.
For me it was one step forward in the technology and CGI but two steps back in the story telling. In Rise, the effects aided the story. In Dawn, they were the story.
Superbe,breathtaking CGI ... but a normal chimpanzee could predict the outcome.
peterp-450-2987166 November 2014
"I always think... ape better than human. I see now... how much like them we are."
After the magnificent "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" from 2011, Caesar the legendary ape who started the revolution for his species, can show up again in this sequel. It's 10 years later and the world has been decimated thanks to the Simian virus. This flu originated from a genetically engineered virus and ensured that the apes became systematically wiser. The magisterial beginning shows Caesar in close-up and from there it's a run-up to an amazing first 20 minutes in which no human is seen and we witness the ins and outs of the apes commune, who communicate by use of a kind of sign language. They have retreated into a mountainous forest near San Francisco, where they have formed a primitive society with Caesar as the absolute leader. They lead a peaceful existence, not aware of the fact that humanity has survived the pandemic. Until such underdeveloped biped turns up one day and immediately shoots an ape at first sight. And that's the beginning of a very interesting struggle for power between two different cultures with survival instinct, self-preservation and demarcating the territory as a central issue. Eventually you start to wonder who really are the primates.
Is it necessary to see this movie in less than no time because of the original story with surprising twists? Nope, not at all. It's not really that exciting and even a normal chimpanzee can predict the outcome. But, it's the amazing design of the apes and the sometimes real human actions and emotional traits that they show. Probably the fact that the actors are "motion captured" has something to do with it, but it's still breathtaking to watch. At certain moments the CGI wasn't quite correct. Especially the fragments of the horse riding apes. You can notice sometimes that these were computer animations. But that's really nitpicking. The Most part looked lifelike and one can only conclude that the authentic episodes of "Planet of the Apes" from the 60's were irrefutable populated by costumed actors.
The final confrontation between humans and apes, with Caesar, again played by Andy Serkis (who formerly also performed as Gollum in TLotR), and Malcolm (Jason Clarke) as the two righteous leaders of the two parties, is of course inevitable. Clearly a socio-political theme was ingeniously woven throughout the cheap, ordinary Hollywood entertainment. The mutual distrust with revenge as the cause for the sneaky tricks and treachery. One group is angry because the apes are supposedly the origin of the extermination of mankind. The other group is unnerved by the years of abuse in laboratories and a doomed life in captivity. The result, of course is a clash with also some internal feuds and conflicts.
Unfortunately after several memorable and downright masterful film clips, we're treated with some ordinary, cheap action movie scenes. A kind of "Expendables meets The A-Team" with heroically swinging of automatic rifles, rockets whizzing around the ears as if the third world war just began and even a tank broke loose. Next to that a big can of sentimentality is pulled open quickly leading to an engaging conversation between Caesar and his son. And then the curtain falls across this magnificent epos with a picture of a real Messiah who parades among his followers. An open end that yearns for an overwhelming third part. But beyond this kitschy final offensive you can admire a few cinematic gems like the appearing of the apes colony in the big city, where they speak to the crowd in an admonishing tone. You could feel the consternation of the crowd after hearing the first words of Caesar. And also the magnificent mimicry Koba used at one time to deceive two armed men. A moment where CGI and facial expressions blend effortlessly. Yes, that's the reason why you should watch this movie.
More reviews at http://opinion-as-a-moviefreak.blogspot.be
After the magnificent "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" from 2011, Caesar the legendary ape who started the revolution for his species, can show up again in this sequel. It's 10 years later and the world has been decimated thanks to the Simian virus. This flu originated from a genetically engineered virus and ensured that the apes became systematically wiser. The magisterial beginning shows Caesar in close-up and from there it's a run-up to an amazing first 20 minutes in which no human is seen and we witness the ins and outs of the apes commune, who communicate by use of a kind of sign language. They have retreated into a mountainous forest near San Francisco, where they have formed a primitive society with Caesar as the absolute leader. They lead a peaceful existence, not aware of the fact that humanity has survived the pandemic. Until such underdeveloped biped turns up one day and immediately shoots an ape at first sight. And that's the beginning of a very interesting struggle for power between two different cultures with survival instinct, self-preservation and demarcating the territory as a central issue. Eventually you start to wonder who really are the primates.
Is it necessary to see this movie in less than no time because of the original story with surprising twists? Nope, not at all. It's not really that exciting and even a normal chimpanzee can predict the outcome. But, it's the amazing design of the apes and the sometimes real human actions and emotional traits that they show. Probably the fact that the actors are "motion captured" has something to do with it, but it's still breathtaking to watch. At certain moments the CGI wasn't quite correct. Especially the fragments of the horse riding apes. You can notice sometimes that these were computer animations. But that's really nitpicking. The Most part looked lifelike and one can only conclude that the authentic episodes of "Planet of the Apes" from the 60's were irrefutable populated by costumed actors.
The final confrontation between humans and apes, with Caesar, again played by Andy Serkis (who formerly also performed as Gollum in TLotR), and Malcolm (Jason Clarke) as the two righteous leaders of the two parties, is of course inevitable. Clearly a socio-political theme was ingeniously woven throughout the cheap, ordinary Hollywood entertainment. The mutual distrust with revenge as the cause for the sneaky tricks and treachery. One group is angry because the apes are supposedly the origin of the extermination of mankind. The other group is unnerved by the years of abuse in laboratories and a doomed life in captivity. The result, of course is a clash with also some internal feuds and conflicts.
Unfortunately after several memorable and downright masterful film clips, we're treated with some ordinary, cheap action movie scenes. A kind of "Expendables meets The A-Team" with heroically swinging of automatic rifles, rockets whizzing around the ears as if the third world war just began and even a tank broke loose. Next to that a big can of sentimentality is pulled open quickly leading to an engaging conversation between Caesar and his son. And then the curtain falls across this magnificent epos with a picture of a real Messiah who parades among his followers. An open end that yearns for an overwhelming third part. But beyond this kitschy final offensive you can admire a few cinematic gems like the appearing of the apes colony in the big city, where they speak to the crowd in an admonishing tone. You could feel the consternation of the crowd after hearing the first words of Caesar. And also the magnificent mimicry Koba used at one time to deceive two armed men. A moment where CGI and facial expressions blend effortlessly. Yes, that's the reason why you should watch this movie.
More reviews at http://opinion-as-a-moviefreak.blogspot.be
Dawn of the Planet of Meh
chicagopoetry12 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Count me as one of the people who was completely bored with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The story makes absolutely no sense and therefore I couldn't get into it. I just thought it was meh.
1. The apes have been living out in the forest for ten years now, can still barely speak about twelve words, but they ride horses? Really? Where are the stables? How do they train the horses? What do they feed the horses when there aren't any hay fields or even fields of grass around? How did they make those fancy reins for the horses?
2. Caesar has known Malcolm for three days and trusts him and thinks of him as a friend for some reason? Why? Malcolm hasn't done anything to gain said trust. He's there for selfish reasons, to get that dam working. They don't have any meaningful conversations. Caesar can barely speak twelve words. True, they save Caesar's wife from some type of illness, but Malcolm doesn't do that, the female doctor does that. And about that. The wife is on her death bed and the doctor gives her some antibiotics and shazam she's up in less than a day? Huh?
3. The climax of this movie is basically just the ending of the Lion King with monkeys instead of lions.
4. There's just way too much CGI in this film. It's impressive at first but after a while it's just like watching a cartoon even though it is realistic.
5. I didn't really care about anyone in this film, was given no reason to. Not enough time was spent with the apes, or with the humans, when they were doing anything but shouting and shooting guns, for me to get to know any of them. I was bored.
6. The 3D did nothing but distract me. Instead of getting absorbed into the little story that there is, I was like, wow look at how that stump looks so much closer to me than the apes are, while missing whatever was actually happening.
7. All the subtitles were just idiotic. I don't know if they were using real sign language because I don't know sign language, but it seemed to me the subtitles said a lot more than what a few hand gestures could represent. Was there some reason the apes couldn't just, you know, talk, and talk in a conversational manner instead of barking and grunting out words? Caesar has had ten years since he spoke his first words. He should be talking as well as a thirteen year old does by now.
8. There was a lot I just didn't understand. If the vast majority of the human population has been wiped out by the flu, why aren't there corpses all over the place? Why did they even let the bad guy who shot the ape at the beginning come back with them, when they knew he couldn't be trusted? Where did the camcorder with the scene from the previous film come from all of a sudden? How did they fix a gigantic dam with nothing but wrenches? How did Caesar suddenly recover from his gunshot wound at the end to go on and fight Kobo? Why did he tell Malcolm that he was "a good man" when Malcolm hadn't done anything particularly good to deserve it? And there is so much more that just didn't make sense to me.
9. Basically this is a very loud, in your face, not subtle at all film that doesn't take any time to develop characters or get you emotionally involved in anything. It's just a lot of CGI action and yelling. I thought it was boring.
1. The apes have been living out in the forest for ten years now, can still barely speak about twelve words, but they ride horses? Really? Where are the stables? How do they train the horses? What do they feed the horses when there aren't any hay fields or even fields of grass around? How did they make those fancy reins for the horses?
2. Caesar has known Malcolm for three days and trusts him and thinks of him as a friend for some reason? Why? Malcolm hasn't done anything to gain said trust. He's there for selfish reasons, to get that dam working. They don't have any meaningful conversations. Caesar can barely speak twelve words. True, they save Caesar's wife from some type of illness, but Malcolm doesn't do that, the female doctor does that. And about that. The wife is on her death bed and the doctor gives her some antibiotics and shazam she's up in less than a day? Huh?
3. The climax of this movie is basically just the ending of the Lion King with monkeys instead of lions.
4. There's just way too much CGI in this film. It's impressive at first but after a while it's just like watching a cartoon even though it is realistic.
5. I didn't really care about anyone in this film, was given no reason to. Not enough time was spent with the apes, or with the humans, when they were doing anything but shouting and shooting guns, for me to get to know any of them. I was bored.
6. The 3D did nothing but distract me. Instead of getting absorbed into the little story that there is, I was like, wow look at how that stump looks so much closer to me than the apes are, while missing whatever was actually happening.
7. All the subtitles were just idiotic. I don't know if they were using real sign language because I don't know sign language, but it seemed to me the subtitles said a lot more than what a few hand gestures could represent. Was there some reason the apes couldn't just, you know, talk, and talk in a conversational manner instead of barking and grunting out words? Caesar has had ten years since he spoke his first words. He should be talking as well as a thirteen year old does by now.
8. There was a lot I just didn't understand. If the vast majority of the human population has been wiped out by the flu, why aren't there corpses all over the place? Why did they even let the bad guy who shot the ape at the beginning come back with them, when they knew he couldn't be trusted? Where did the camcorder with the scene from the previous film come from all of a sudden? How did they fix a gigantic dam with nothing but wrenches? How did Caesar suddenly recover from his gunshot wound at the end to go on and fight Kobo? Why did he tell Malcolm that he was "a good man" when Malcolm hadn't done anything particularly good to deserve it? And there is so much more that just didn't make sense to me.
9. Basically this is a very loud, in your face, not subtle at all film that doesn't take any time to develop characters or get you emotionally involved in anything. It's just a lot of CGI action and yelling. I thought it was boring.
DAWN Surpasses RISE; I'm Excited to See Where it Goes from Here
brando64724 July 2015
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES continues to prove this franchise as one of the most entertaining reboots to come out of Hollywood in an age where refurbishing classic favorites is the new fad. I was such a fan of the first in this new series (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES) that I actually went to the theaters this time around for the new installment. And it continues to blow my mind in how good these new films are. If you were a fan of the first film, you will most likely find plenty to love in this one. It continues the tale of our species' downfall and the inevitable rise of apes to a position of dominance. It begins around ten years after the end of RISE. The "simian flu" epidemic that closed the previous film has eliminated all but a small percentage of the human race, and we're introduced to one survivor camp in San Francisco where their continued existence relies on jump-starting a local dam to restore power. Unfortunately, their journey to the dam leads them into the territory of the apes. The apes, led by Caesar (Andy Serkis, returning), have created their own little utopia, evolving into a functional society, and they are rightfully unwilling to trust the seemingly violent humans at first. Malcolm (Jason Clarke), the man in charge of the human expedition, stands in awe of the apes and what they've become, and he believes a truce can be reached that will allow peaceful coexistence and access to the dam. But there are forces working from both sides that won't allow that to happen.
I really love this movie. I'm ecstatic that, despite the potential for the usual big budget explosions and battle sequences, DAWN continues to play on a smaller, more personal scale. Yes, we get some awesome action sequences in the second half of the movie but the first half of the movie, where Malcolm and his team are brought into ape society and we see their early interactions, is the best part. Director Matt Reeves (CLOVERFIELD) and the screenwriters weren't interested in making another generic summer film but telling an engaging story that makes sense in the progression of the franchise. The apes are not yet the reigning species on the planet, but they're getting there. The humans are still around in scattered packets and neither side trusts the other. The apes, particularly Koba (an ape from the first film that experienced the worst of human nature in laboratory experimentation), have lingering mistrust for the proved violent nature of humans; meanwhile, the humans are generally petrified at the concept of an ape that can speak and reason. They're animals we don't negotiate with "lesser" species. The movie plays as a morality tale about xenophobia and our nature to fear things that are different from us, but it tackles it from two angles, showing that the humans aren't the only ones capable of irrational fear and snap judgments of others.
Andy Serkis is an experienced motion capture actor but I really think DAWN is the ultimate example as to how talented the man is. Caesar is his best character yet. The technology has advanced to a point where Caesar is so convincing that I was never once pulled out of the movie at the sight of him. Immersed in the film, I never doubted that I was watching a "living, breathing, thinking" ape. And his actual performance was fantastic, imbuing the character with emotion and earning the audience's sympathy. Really, all of the apes were done to perfection. Maurice the orangutan (Karin Konoval) never utters a word and yet is still a well-built, three-dimensional character. It was a bold move for Reeves to utilize characters in a major action film that rely for large parts of the film on non-verbal communication in a world where the thought of subtitles will scare off segments of the target audience. But Reeves created a summer movie that aims to be more than the average, striving to tell an interesting story populated with strong characters that just so happens to include talking apes who can ride horses and (poorly) use firearms. I really enjoy this movie and I'm excited to see how well the series has done so far, and I hope they manage to keep the same momentum in the inevitable continuation. The film ends at a key moment in human/ape relations and telegraphs what the next installment will entail. As long as the franchise is handled with the same care and consideration (and especially if Reeves continues on as director), I imagine these movies will be some of the most anticipated (for myself, anyway) movies in the years to come.
I really love this movie. I'm ecstatic that, despite the potential for the usual big budget explosions and battle sequences, DAWN continues to play on a smaller, more personal scale. Yes, we get some awesome action sequences in the second half of the movie but the first half of the movie, where Malcolm and his team are brought into ape society and we see their early interactions, is the best part. Director Matt Reeves (CLOVERFIELD) and the screenwriters weren't interested in making another generic summer film but telling an engaging story that makes sense in the progression of the franchise. The apes are not yet the reigning species on the planet, but they're getting there. The humans are still around in scattered packets and neither side trusts the other. The apes, particularly Koba (an ape from the first film that experienced the worst of human nature in laboratory experimentation), have lingering mistrust for the proved violent nature of humans; meanwhile, the humans are generally petrified at the concept of an ape that can speak and reason. They're animals we don't negotiate with "lesser" species. The movie plays as a morality tale about xenophobia and our nature to fear things that are different from us, but it tackles it from two angles, showing that the humans aren't the only ones capable of irrational fear and snap judgments of others.
Andy Serkis is an experienced motion capture actor but I really think DAWN is the ultimate example as to how talented the man is. Caesar is his best character yet. The technology has advanced to a point where Caesar is so convincing that I was never once pulled out of the movie at the sight of him. Immersed in the film, I never doubted that I was watching a "living, breathing, thinking" ape. And his actual performance was fantastic, imbuing the character with emotion and earning the audience's sympathy. Really, all of the apes were done to perfection. Maurice the orangutan (Karin Konoval) never utters a word and yet is still a well-built, three-dimensional character. It was a bold move for Reeves to utilize characters in a major action film that rely for large parts of the film on non-verbal communication in a world where the thought of subtitles will scare off segments of the target audience. But Reeves created a summer movie that aims to be more than the average, striving to tell an interesting story populated with strong characters that just so happens to include talking apes who can ride horses and (poorly) use firearms. I really enjoy this movie and I'm excited to see how well the series has done so far, and I hope they manage to keep the same momentum in the inevitable continuation. The film ends at a key moment in human/ape relations and telegraphs what the next installment will entail. As long as the franchise is handled with the same care and consideration (and especially if Reeves continues on as director), I imagine these movies will be some of the most anticipated (for myself, anyway) movies in the years to come.
Excellent
85122215 November 2014
Geetings from Lithuania.
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" (2014) is a hands down one of the best sequels ever. This movie has everything to keep you entertained for 2 hors from start till finish. Good acting, superb storyline, great settings, amazing special effects - it's all there and it all clicks. I was a huge fan of "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" was perfect follow up, it's bigger and better in every possible way. The best moments in this movie are the one without action actually, it's when apes (especialy Caesar) and people starts to communicate. And for Andy Serkis, give this man an Oscar for god sake, we all know he deserves it.
Overall, if you still haven't see "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" then do yourself a favor and see it ASAP, if you liked the first one, this one will blow you away.
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" (2014) is a hands down one of the best sequels ever. This movie has everything to keep you entertained for 2 hors from start till finish. Good acting, superb storyline, great settings, amazing special effects - it's all there and it all clicks. I was a huge fan of "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" was perfect follow up, it's bigger and better in every possible way. The best moments in this movie are the one without action actually, it's when apes (especialy Caesar) and people starts to communicate. And for Andy Serkis, give this man an Oscar for god sake, we all know he deserves it.
Overall, if you still haven't see "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" then do yourself a favor and see it ASAP, if you liked the first one, this one will blow you away.
Strategy Against War
billygoat107110 July 2014
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes jumps right into the time when the apes are beginning to build a new civilization while mankind is starting to fall apart. What makes this different from the last feature is it once again sticks more to its symbolism. Now this is the real deal of the context, it's obviously a truce between two sides, it is the part that is mostly known as the last chance before the unwanted fate of their world happens. Since everybody knows how things are going to turn out (regarding this as a prequel), it still provides the heartfelt tension of their trust to each other. Unlike Rise, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes doesn't only throw off a visual effects gimmick on screen, it also deeply focuses on the compelling themes beneath the tale.
Whatever legacy that was left from the last movie is the character development of the ape. Caesar has grown understanding more how the world works, his sympathy with the humans remains and he can still believe in peace in them and his own kind. However, anyone else in both sides stayed naive, paranoid on what they're planning to do. It doesn't lack any information, the rubble already shows the crisis going on in those streets and the characters are given their own backstory to effectively define their motivations, thus this is a situation which is far from good vs. evil. The real enemy of this conflict are simply fear, cynicism, and sometimes revenge. It is a dilemma that is a few steps closer to the edge of their trust. And that is how the whole story works, it makes the audience real nervous about the decisions each of the characters make.
Even when it's already packed with a great director and a great cast, the film still manages to keep on telling the story straightly, like exactly pinpointing the allegories without distracting any demanded pleasures that you would typically ask from a blockbuster. But as said, it still offers those elements when necessary. Director Matt Reeves gives this franchise a whole new tone. Blockbusters today tend to be ultra serious and darker, but Reeves is one of the rare directors who could live up to that ambition. He doesn't only bring the atmosphere, there are also some nicely shot action scenes that deliberately displays the horror and violence of the battles.
But the merits doesn't end there of course. The acting is stellar, mostly pointing at the man behind the leading ape, Andy Serkis. He's always been terrific in this job, but here there is more gravity and grittiness to the performance than before, whether it's physical or vocal. The motion-capture performances just add a lot of exceptional value to the CGI work which could totally outshine everything else in the filmmaking. The actors who played human characters also did good, with Jason Clarke handling his role well.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is more than a stunningly made film, it thoughtfully considers real depth within its storyline which results an overwhelming experience even without an excess of action. There is already suspense existing at the complexities of the species' treaty. The battle scenes just becomes the gravy of it, but really, the analogies is what makes it really compelling. After years of attempting to bring back the original spirit of the series, the filmmakers has finally realized that this is what this mythology is all about. Except it has become grittier. The film just triumphs in its choices, which it's almost difficult to call it a blockbuster, because blockbuster asks you turn off your brain. This movie makes you open your heart.
Whatever legacy that was left from the last movie is the character development of the ape. Caesar has grown understanding more how the world works, his sympathy with the humans remains and he can still believe in peace in them and his own kind. However, anyone else in both sides stayed naive, paranoid on what they're planning to do. It doesn't lack any information, the rubble already shows the crisis going on in those streets and the characters are given their own backstory to effectively define their motivations, thus this is a situation which is far from good vs. evil. The real enemy of this conflict are simply fear, cynicism, and sometimes revenge. It is a dilemma that is a few steps closer to the edge of their trust. And that is how the whole story works, it makes the audience real nervous about the decisions each of the characters make.
Even when it's already packed with a great director and a great cast, the film still manages to keep on telling the story straightly, like exactly pinpointing the allegories without distracting any demanded pleasures that you would typically ask from a blockbuster. But as said, it still offers those elements when necessary. Director Matt Reeves gives this franchise a whole new tone. Blockbusters today tend to be ultra serious and darker, but Reeves is one of the rare directors who could live up to that ambition. He doesn't only bring the atmosphere, there are also some nicely shot action scenes that deliberately displays the horror and violence of the battles.
But the merits doesn't end there of course. The acting is stellar, mostly pointing at the man behind the leading ape, Andy Serkis. He's always been terrific in this job, but here there is more gravity and grittiness to the performance than before, whether it's physical or vocal. The motion-capture performances just add a lot of exceptional value to the CGI work which could totally outshine everything else in the filmmaking. The actors who played human characters also did good, with Jason Clarke handling his role well.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is more than a stunningly made film, it thoughtfully considers real depth within its storyline which results an overwhelming experience even without an excess of action. There is already suspense existing at the complexities of the species' treaty. The battle scenes just becomes the gravy of it, but really, the analogies is what makes it really compelling. After years of attempting to bring back the original spirit of the series, the filmmakers has finally realized that this is what this mythology is all about. Except it has become grittier. The film just triumphs in its choices, which it's almost difficult to call it a blockbuster, because blockbuster asks you turn off your brain. This movie makes you open your heart.
See also
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