When summer time comes around I go even more. I'm a little disappointed in myself that after last weeks premiere of cowboys and aliens, I had declared to summer movie season over! No more block busters on my list. But come this past Friday I was reminded that I still had Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes on my movie list. I like James Franco, and I like monkeys, so it looked like I had one last hurrah this summer. I wasn't expecting much from this flick. And I'm kinda glad I didn't, because that made the reward so much sweeter.
Planet of the apes is one of the most beloved scifi franchises of all time. And as is with all genre movies now, it seems like reboots are where it's at. (let's forget about that Tim Burton piece of work from awhile back). Rise of The Planet of The apes does the original series justice, while at the same time improving upon them, and making a more believable, more emotionally involving story. You could literally plug this in behind the first Apes movie, and there would be little that contradicts each other.
The film utilizes all the best aspects of a summer blockbuster and sheds the rest. Big spectacle, big story, but with very involving character story's that are truly the core of the movie. Andy serkis (caesar) deserves an Oscar award for his performance. It is very hard to make a truly believable performance, but it's even harder to do that when you are going to be painted over with a cgi monkey suit. If anything serkis's performance will at least provide recognition, and respect in Hollywood for motion capturing technology, and it's legitimacy in the business. There was not a moment in the movie where I didn't believe that Caesar was a real chimp. Most actors receive Oscar nods for playing other people, which is why serkis deserves recognition for portraying another species and flawlessly at that.
The movie also has a subtle but effective way of leaving hints for a sequel. News paper printings and news reports regarding a mission to mars, where the ship eventually gets lost and loses contact with earth. This could offer hope for a sequel that is more of a remake of the original Planet of the Apes movie from the 60's.
James Franco was not left outin the rain. As always he delivered a compelling performance, and his friendship with Caeser, is the bases of the movie. You felt for francos character (will), who was struggling with his Alzheimer's inflicted father (John lithgow).
Freida Pinto as the main female lead in the movie, was really an uneccescary part. It seemed as if they felt the movie needed more of a human story, so they involved the romance between Pinto's and Franco's characters. Though she did not do a bad job, the movie would not be the lesser with out her character in it.
All in all, I was surprised by this movie on so many levels. On one, I had no idea it would be as good as it was. I haven't seen a movie in theaters this good since The Dark Knight in 2008. Also, the films emotional, and social message was even more involving than the wow factor of a gorilla jumping on a helicopter. To say I loved this movie would be putting it lightly. If you haven't seen it yet, shame on you, if you're going to, see it as soon as you can...because if this movies right at all, we may be having a primate uprising on our hands any day now!