Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

  I've just got in from watching this Sci Fi epic and in a word it was epic.  From the starting credits to the closing I was gripped.  The roots of this film are bedded on family.  Values that are shown by ape and human alike.  The film centres on Ceaser (Andy Serkis) who 10 years on has created a utopia for his race deep in the red woods from the last film.  All the apes we met in "rise" are back.  With Maurice the orangutan creating a school in which the young learn to sign and that "Ape shall not kill Ape".  While this has been going on the human population has been decimated via the virus released in "rise" nick named the "simian flu".  This is shown through a montage at the very beginning of the film.  This is when we meet Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) and Malcolm (Jason Clarke) who have created a rag tag camp in San Francisco.  When the too races accidentally happen upon each other.  They have to decide what to do next, both races go through similar emotions and have similar personalities within positions of power, a flimsy pact is made.  The script for this film is very strong throughout and it is backed up by a super cast.  I felt drawn to Ceaser who really shows on screen, his heavy burden of wanting to protect his family and the civilisation he has created for all apes.  This too was true of Malcolm, who also wishes above all else to create some kind of normality for his son.  Both characters are backed up by Dreyfus and Koba (Toby Kebbell) the scarred up chimp who he saves in "rise".  Koba has true hatred for man due to the years he spent behind bars, while Dreyfus has true hatred for Ape due to his own loss.  On top of a super script; we also get amazing cinematography that fuels the film throughout showing how nature has taken back the land that humans had colonised.  With a great use of scale you see through clever camera techniques to show the vast landscape of the city and the relative close quarters of the forest.   I believe this is to show how the apes are closer and more trusting than there human counter parts.  Director Matt Reeves (under siege 2) has done a great job with this movie which toes the line of being original, but also creates a sense of nostalgia by giving us tokens from the original movies.  This is always done in a way that doesn't deflect from the story. Which I believe is very important.  I am struggling to see a flaw in this powerful, emotional, dramatic and heart palpitating thrill ride.  A must see I give Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 9 out of 10 (probably a future 10 and most likely the best film of the year).  Go see it and leave a comment if you have an opinion...  Signing off.

Follow me on twitter

@Breezeatmovies