Review: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Breathes New Life Into An Aged Franchise
- Jun 11, 2017
- 2 min read
Before Andy Serkis made a career out of dressing up in grey pyjamas and gluing ping pong balls all over himself, Charlton Heston fought against an empire of civilised primates in The Planet Of The Apes. How did the apes overtake mankind? Let’s find out.
Dr Will Rodman (James Franco) is working on what he calls a cure for Alzheimer's. Following an accident he comes into possession of an infant chimpanzee, one he calls Caesar (Andy Serkis). The drug on which Rodman has been working are active within Caeser and, within 3 years, the ape is as smart as most people, albeit hairer. But when Caesar attacks a neighbour and is subsequently sent to a primate shelter, he soon develops a plan that the world will not soon forget.
Acting as a prequel of sorts, though it doesn’t complete the story, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes tells a surprisingly human story about the beginning of our primate overlords. James Franco gives a surprisingly good performance, acting as the human connection between Caesar and the audience. But it’s Caesar, as motion captured by Andy Serkis, who is the real star. Forming the emotional centre of the film, both he and the effects used to create him are excellent. It is not often that one can say that they were on the side of the enemy but in this case, you certainly can.
Laying the groundwork for a trilogy of films, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes works both as a prequel and as a standalone film. While the effects haven’t held up so well over the years, they remain better than most we see today. It is, if nothing else, a showcase for the advancement of CG and the poster child for its use in cinema.
While Rise is certainly a drama, a gripping story of family and humanity, it features a number of equally thrilling action scenes toward the end of the film. It’s difficult to discuss the film without spoiling but I assure you, it is most definitely worth it.
Comments