I was 5 years old when the original Planet of The Apes was released in 1968, so it took me a few years
to catch up with the movie, when the film and it sequels were first being shown on
CBS. Growing up a science-fiction, horror & monster story loving kid, I couldn’t
wait to see these films. I instantly became a fan. Later the Apes movies
became a staple of afternoon TV showings; remember “Apes Week” on the ABC 4:30 Movie in the New York area? Short
lived animated & live action TV series were also spun off from the original,
and “Apes” related items & toys were all the rage in the 1970s. In those pre Star Wars days, the Apes films were one
of the first heavily merchandised sci-fi properties, and the series continues to have a loyal fan base. It was only a matter of time before the story was
revived. Director Tim Burton tried his best with a 2001 remake that failed with
both fans & critics. After that misfire, it took some time for the Apes saga to return to our movies screens.
Then in 2011, director Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of The Planet of the Apes was released. Written by Rick Jaffe
& Amanda Silver, it‘s a well-made update of the Apes concept. The movie follows
scientist Will Rodman’s search to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The
serum he comes up with gives his simian test subjects (especially an ape named
Caesar, whom he adopts) enhanced intelligence. Of course, nothing ends up going the
way Rodman imagined. The film concludes with Caesar leading a group of
hyper-intelligent simians into the woods outside San Francisco, while a
mysterious virus had begun spreading across the world. The movie was a
success, and featured multiple tributes to the original series for fans, while
still carving out a new spin on the story. The ending clearly left the door
open for a sequel that could expand on this version of the saga.
The story continues with the recently released Dawn of The Planet of the Apes. It’s 10
years after the events of Rise, and the
virus has wiped out most of humanity. The intelligent apes, led by
Caesar (Andy Serkis) are living peacefully in the woods, and have started their one society. Meanwhile, some human
survivors struggle to get by in San Francisco. The two groups clash when a
scouting party heads into the woods to see if they can repair a hydroelectric dam
and restart the city's power grid. Caesar’s lieutenant, a violent ape named Koba,
distrusts the humans and wants to eliminate them. Malcolm (Jason Clarke), the
leader of the scouting party, convinces Caesar humans can be trusted, and they will do their repairs and leave the apes in peace. He &
Caesar begin a tentative friendship. But Dreyfus (Gary Oldman), the leader of the humans,
may not share Malcolm’s peaceful intentions. He blames the apes for the loss of his family during the outbreak of the virus, and its aftermath. And the militant Koba has his own
(self-benefitting) plans for creating conflict between the two groups.
There are some great action sequences & some jaw
dropping use of CGI that’s well-integrated into the film. Andy (Gollum from Lord of The Rings) Serkis & the others who perform the motion capture for the ape characters are
excellent. The human actors, including Clarke, Oldman, and Keri Russell are
fine in their roles, but in this film, they’re almost the supporting
characters. The apes & their world are so fully realized in this visually stunning film that it’s nothing short of amazing. Director Matt Reeves & his crew have done an
outstanding job. The script this time is by Jaffa & Silver, returning from
the first film, co-writing with Mark Bombeck. There are a couple of nods to the
classic film series, including snatches of dialogue & some cues in Michael Giacchino's score that recall previous music in the
original series by Jerry Goldsmith & Leonard Rosenman.
Like the original films, the movie holds up a mirror to issues that are going on in society today. The movie wraps its social & political commentary around an entertaining story. There are no clear-cut villain here, among
the humans or the apes, though there are deluded & selfish characters on
both sides of this conflict. While the “end” of civilization has different causes in this
version of the story, man’s pride & inhumanity to himself is still part of his downfall.
The movie ends on an ambigious note, setting things up for another chapter
in the series, but the future of humanity (and the apes) is definitely uncertain. I’ve stayed vague on the
plot details so as not to spoil it for fans who haven’t seen the film yet. If you’re a fan of the Apes saga, you’ll enjoy Dawn of The Planet of the Apes. As with the best chapters of the original series, this is thought-provoking, well produced science-fiction storytelling. The movie is currently in theaters. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer:
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