The closest thing to a perfect sequel I have seen in my movie viewing career. Dawn is packed to the brim with character drama, powerful performances, callbacks to the original and bombast aplenty for all those blockbuster fans. It redefines what a summer movie has to be and never wavers in its focus. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a must see for any movie fan.
Taking place 8 years after the event of Rise, Dawn sees a flourishing ape population in the Red Woods and a dwindling human population decimated by the simian flu. Caesar (played by Andy Serkis, has grown into a formidable leader and has started a family of his own. He must tend to the duties of all leaders while trying to balance caring for his family as well as maintaining peace with the wandering humans. It all adds up to a phenomenal character piece with enough spectacle worthy of the summer season. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes manages to touch on the fragility of peace in turbulent times and the fickle nature of humans (and apes) when it comes to change and acceptance. It’s a smart film with incredible dialogue and a number of great shots courtesy of director Matt Reeves.
The movie is divided between the humans story and that of the apes. The balance is a bit lopsided in favor of the simians but the film is all the better for it. There are some nods to the plight of the human party that would probably be interesting to dive into but this franchise has its sights clearly set on its namesake. Andy Serkis knocks it out of the park as an older and wiser Caesar. Leading with care while maintaining a firm command over his people and looking out for all of their best interests is a daunting task but Serkis manages to pull it off to perfection. All of that Oscar praise going the way of Serkis is definitely not unfounded, the man deserves all the respect in the world. Caesar’s presence is felt in every scene he is in and the ones he isn’t you can’t help yourself from wondering what he is up to.
Not to be outdone is Toby Kebbell as Koba, the brutally scarred and violent ape we saw kill Jacobs at the end of Rise. He is back and better then ever this time around. He has become a dark mirror to Caesar’s stoic leader. Opting for more base and rash decisions as opposed to Caesar’s methodical and well planned actions. The raw emotion and energy is simply magnetic. Kebbell’s portrayal is incredibly realized and he indeed gets you to think twice about why he is doing the things he does. For someone to be subjected to years and years of nothing but torture at the hands of another, only to be told that you must live alongside them even though you have the ability to exact revenge is something only the best people in the world would be capable of. It is easy to see where he is coming from and it makes for one enthralling villain. With today’s one-note bad guys it is refreshing to see someone so complex and layered appear in a summer blockbuster and kind of funny that it ended up being a monkey. In addition to providing on of the films greatest performances, he rides a horse through fire while double wielding machine guns… awesome!
While the stars are undoubtedly the apes the human cast does a commendable job standing alongside them. Headlined by the likes of Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman and Keri Russell you know your in for a treat. While they aren’t in a ton of the film, the moments they are are definitely strong. We get a good sense of how dire life has been since the outbreak from Rise and while a ton of specifics aren’t given you still end up feeling for them and understand their desperation for power. Jason Clarke steps into the role that James Franco filled last time, the voice of reason that acts as the link between the human and ape factions. It would have been nice to see him get a little more action but the stand off at the end of the film was intense and served as a nice counterpart to the epic finale going on in the land of the apes.
From the earliest trailers, Gary Oldman seemed like the main antagonist of the film. Barking orders at his fellow humans and attacking the apes out of a sense of superiority, but that is far from the case. Like the rest of the human ensemble, he doesn’t see a ton of screen time but what he does get he manages to imbue with all of the expected emotion and more. He is just a regular guy trying his best to live in a world no longer fit for man. In one scene we see him looking over some old photos of his family (presumed dead) and he breaks down. Out of happiness or sorrow is up to perspective but in that single shot you immediately understand how much electricity means to these people and just how much they have lost in the whole ordeal.
For a film about apes and their attempt at a peaceful existence it does a tremendous job showing how a single individual’s greed can throw a wrench into the works. Throughout the course of the movie the apes and humans come across a number of the same obstacles. Both parties feature members that aren’t happy about the presence of the other while the rest of the group is willing to try and foster some sort of relationship. Whether it be out of a sense of protection or someone holding onto a grudge, the people that cannot move past their old feelings sow the seeds of hatred and ruin any chances for co-existence. These same issues are abound in real life all the time and it is cool to see a film, let alone a blockbuster like this, breach such important topics.
Subtext and story aside, I can’t stress enough how beautiful this movie is. The apes look perfect standing beside humans, the fact that they are all CG/motion capture creations makes it all the more impressive. The actors underneath all of the effects really shine through thanks to the leap in technology and it makes the entire 2 hour run time a real thrill to sit through. The nature and disease ravaged world is also quite impressive. With vines and greenery retaking the city and the makeshift homes of the apes, there are a ton of exquisite visuals in this film that only look better on the big screen (and believe it or not 3D). The opening sequence is a sight to see. A majority of the ape civilization grouped together in what seems like a battle formation, only to turn into a hunting party to provide food for the rest of their family. The way they swing through the forest and protect each other is outstanding and goes to prove that explosions and gunfire aren’t the only ways to wow an audience.
There is not a single thing I can point out that would make the movie better than it was. Matt Reeves has crafted an incredible piece of cinema that should be seen by everyone despite their affinity with the franchise. Andy Serkis is mind numbingly awesome in the film and Toby Kebbell manages to keep pace bringing to life one of the best villain depictions in years. I cannot wait to see where the next film goes and if it can continue the phenomenal trend the first two installments have managed to maintain. From the moment I got out of the theater there was only one score on my mind.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes gets a 10/10