Review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) by Barney O — 17 Jul 2017

WHAT I LIKED: Whilst its predecessor was a blockbuster recipe with a very delicate balance of flavours; 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' decides to play things with a slightly heavier hand in bringing action and excitement to the foreground. As a result it's equally engaging, and the fact it plays off the first film means we're invested in the story as it cuts to the chase more quickly. From there things waste no time, and the film powers through with just the right amount of breathing room for key emotional moments and incredible action sequences that amaze as much as they hit you. In fact it really is a very impressive spectacle this time around, and looking up at the screen in admiration of Matt Reeves' work doesn't remotely mean you're out of the picture as the characters are all well-developed and the action furthers the story rather than detracts from it.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Where some of the delicacy is lost, the script winds up somewhat flawed - particularly when it comes to discussing the ever-present themes.

VERDICT: 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' is an impressive and engaging beast of a film that continues the franchise extremely well despite its occasional flaw.