Review: Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes Is One Of The Greatest Sequels Ever
- Jun 12, 2017
- 2 min read
Brought to you by the director of Cloverfield, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes follows on from the events that unfolded in the first chapter of this new story. Standing alongside the likes of Empire Strikes Back and Terminator 2, it is a sci-fi sequel for the ages.
Ten years after a simian flu wiped out most of the human race, Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his band of followers have built a society for themselves just outside San Francisco. They are safe and, most importantly, they are happy. When a group of engineers happen upon a group of apes, including Caesar’s son, Caesar is forced to make a choice. Protect his people from a group of scared and potentially violent people, or work with them in hopes of bettering the lives of both their groups.
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is an undeniably excellent film and one of the greatest science fiction movies ever made. It expertly blends genres, themes and features the best visual effects to date. It is a film that could survive featuring apes and apes alone, that’s how good the visuals and motion capture are. The opening scenes feature some of the most genuine family moments from any film ever, all of it delivered by primates. But the human factor is what makes the movie stand out. Gary Oldman and Jason Clarke give riveting performances, with Oldman standing head and shoulders above an already excellent cast. While there are “villains” no one is outright evil, they’re just trying to survive.
But here, as it is in all things, conflict is inevitable and, when the figurative floodgates are opened, we are treated to some excellent action scenes. They’re thrilling, exciting and, above all else, meaningful. None of the action on display is meaningless. Every bullet fired and spear tossed has a purpose, to drive a sense of foreboding. All that comes after this is war.
Aside from being visually spectacular and perfectly written, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is just a damn good movie. While it is a little long, there’s nothing that really holds it back. It’s the perfect sequel to an already good film. Here’s hoping War For The Planet Of The Apes maintains the quality.
Comments