Movie Review: "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

Seen on: August 10, 2011

The players: Director: Rupert Wyatt, Writers: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Cast: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Andy Serkis

Fact of interest: Charlton Heston (the star of the original “Planet of the Apes”) is shown in his role as Moses in “The Ten Commandments” on a TV in the background in one of the scenes.

The plot: An origin story of the “Planet of the Apes” films, explaining mankind’s downfall.

Our thoughts: In 1968, the movie “Planet of the Apes” introduced us to a world where mankind was considered an animal next to the evolved, civilized talking ape. It further blew our minds when (spoiler alert) at the end of that film, it is revealed that the planet is, in fact, our own, sometime in the near future.

This cultural phenomenon spawned four sequels, a TV show, and a less-than-well-received remake in 2001. Now, 10 years since the last apes ruled the planet, we have another tale to tell. Here, we finally get the story behind how the apes first became dominant, and what happened to our beloved earth. Is it worth learning?

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is definitely not a movie that needed to be made. It is yet another example of how the movie studios (Fox, here) goiback to their well for easy cash on a known franchise. Usually, these sorts of “cash grabs” end up being sub-standard cinematic garbage that merely regurgitates what has come before it with a see-through glossy sheen of newness… new actors and new special effects while everything else is just the same.

However, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” truly bucks that trend. It is actually quite an intelligent, engrossing, and entertaining summer movie. A huge part of the credit for the success of this film goes to the writers (Jaffa and Silver) who have undertaken the daunting task of not only reviving the storied franchise but also carefully constructing a story to explain the question on moviegoers minds for decades.

They delivered a story that is true to the source material, well-paced, and entirely plausible. Most importantly, the script is smart and lean. Everything that happens in this film builds on what has preceded it, and expertly sets up what is to come. It is a rare script (especially in science fiction) in which everything makes sense and there are no scenes or character decisions that feel out of place or unnecessary. It is just an extremely well-written script all around.

I also have to mention the work of the digital effects artists and the motion capture actors. The apes in this movie are just jaw-droppingly amazing. The lead chimp, Caesar, is perhaps the most real and relatable digital character to ever grace the silver screen. He draws the audience into the story, allowing us to feel the emotions of his plight. (There is a movement right now to get Andy Serkis, the actor who motion-captured Caesar as well as Gollum from “Lord of the Rings,” an Oscar nomination. It would be a rightfully earned nod!) 

The effects in this film also rarely look or feel obvious. They did a fantastic job of making the truly amazing look feel perfectly natural and real in the movie. If there is one gripe in this film, it is with our lead actor, James Franco. Franco plays the role of a scientist who creates a cure for Alzheimer’s that inadvertently gives the apes their intelligence. In this part, Franco has the emotional range of a Nerf gun.

Whether it’s making the discovery of a lifetime, or losing a close relative or friend, or trying to stop a Super-Ape invasion, Franco barely raises an eyebrow nor moistens an eye. His wooden delivery of what should have been some fairly emotional material kills the momentum of this movie in many key scenes.

Had they employed a better actor in that role, who knows how great this movie would have been? It is also amusing to note that Tom Felton has moved on from playing Draco Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” movies to this kind of film, where he continues to exhibit his stellar ability to be a petulant twit.

Freaky quote: "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!!!" - Tom Felton

The final word: All in all, this movie was the biggest surprise of the summer thus far. It far exceeded expectations and was an all-around great movie. Highly recommended!

On the web: http://www.apeswillrise.com/

Article by Danny Alves