Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Review Thread

I've been getting antsy waiting for this movies DVD release.

I'm using the colloquial term of course. Like how many people still say "I'll watch it when it comes out on video."

You see, there used to be these round discs with slightly rougher edges (for some reason) that allowed you to see movies, but not nose hairs or 5 O'clock shadow. Fortunately, that time has past.

Posted: 7/11/2014. We'll see how it compares to a rewatch.


Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)


I've been a huge fan of this franchise before it was a franchise. Yes, this is technically the eighth "Planet of the Apes" movies, but we are now being shown just how much potential it really has in this new franchise. The original "Planet of the Apes" was about a man being captured in a backwards world where apes reign over humans, but it was really about so much more. It dealt with racism and evolution without once spelling it out for the audience. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was a return to hyper-intelligent ape, this time they were breaking out of cages, but we have entirely new themes now to work with. "Rise" is about human's superiority complex over the world and its "lesser" animals and our irresponsibility over them and technology.

Now we have "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," which does not only have new themes, such as the morality and ethics of warfare, but it layers these seamlessly on the themes and events of the previous film. Caesar isn't just a tough ape who happens to have a soft spot for humans, he is compassionate towards them because unlike the others, he was raised by them and knows the good in them. Some of the other apes, those perhaps tested on and tortured in labs, might not see it that way and this comes back for a strong motive to fight. We know this from the first movie and this is anything but an extraneous, "bigger is better" Terminator 2-esque sequel, but instead something that grows organically from the first film.

This franchise is a large, potential well of strong parallels to humanity and it's been using it quite well so far. And really, why wouldn't this be the case with a set of movies where the 2nd most intelligent species challenges us for superiority? This movie is an alien invasion, an uprising, and an atonement for our sins all wrapped into one. If this is indeed going to be a trilogy that starts with the apes rising against us that will end with our total subjugation with Charlton Heston in a cage, then this middle film is where man and ape can look eye to eye and really see their differences, but also their similarities. Apes are on their way up and man on their way down, but does it have to be this way? Is there a chance for peace? Man and ape perhaps aren't so different after all, for better or for worse, and that's what this movie tries to explore.

This movie is brilliant from beginning to end on almost every level. The same writers are back and they haven't missed a beat in what is culminating to be one of our greatest science-fiction trilogies of all time. Again, the movie is very intelligent without pandering to the audience about what they're trying to do here. There are exciting plot twists, a great flow of characterization, action scenes and suspense. Directors have changed, but not for the worse, as Matt Reeves handles this film wonderfully. And if you like your action scenes, then you won't be disappointed. There's enticing hunting scenes, fights between all species, and a particularly amazing shot involving a tank. The human actors/characters are good enough and serve their purpose, and Andy Serkis once again gives a masterful and underappreciated portrayal of Caesar. Last, and certainly not least, Michael Giacchino has created a unique and fantastic score that always knows how to sell a scene.

****/****

This is honestly one of the most surprising series. I never would have thought the first one would be as good as it was, but then to have the sequel turn out the way it was as well? Crazy.

Just watched it on demand today. This was really, really well done.

Even Kirk Acevedos role, although you knew he'd be the first to bite it, was surprisingly subtle for the wild card who may ruin it all.

The third one better have big faced orange ape Maurice on a rampage or I'll be so so disappointed.

This new series is just remaking the movies from the 1970's. I'm sure the trilogy will conclude the same way the original series ended.

American Sniper is about to surpass Dawn of the Apes and effectively kick it out of the Top 10 for 2014.

Not really.