Review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) by Optinuzprime — 05 Jun 2015

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes takes place ten years after the first and much has changed. Caesar(played by Andy Serkis) returns as the ape leader in an even better performance than the original with the support of his returning ape friends Maurice and Koba. Caesar now has a family, including his rebellious son Blue Eyes, his wife, and newborn son. Caesar’s companion, Will Rodman(played by James Franco) has died, which introduces the new cast. Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Gary Oldman, and many more amazing new characters that are trying to survive in the rundown city of San Francisco. The Apes are growing in numbers and strength, while the majority of humans are either dead from the simian flu or each other. Caesar is now in charge of the apes and only wants what’s best for his kind, but Koba, Caesar’s right hand man, has other ideas. When the humans and apes try to work together Koba ruins every chance for peace through violence. A war between apes and humans is inevitable and nothing can stop what is to come, not even Caesar.

This movie hits in all the right places. The visuals are astounding. The contrast from the lush green forests and the dilapidated San Francisco makes for a great setting, and the way it’s filmed cannot be understated. The way in which the intense battle sequences are filmed, set this movie apart from every other action blockbuster. In one sequence the camera is rotated an entire 360 degrees revealing the destruction of humans and apes at war, which makes for the most dramatic scene in the entire movie. The CGI integration is seamless, especially when so many apes appear at once alongside humans. The loss of James Franco doesn’t even phase this cast, every character has a purpose and it shows on-screen. The beautiful script is heard not only with the human cast, but the apes too. They speak less, but do when necessary, and it is breathtaking just as it was in the first film.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes surpasses it’s predecessor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, in every way. The characters, the cinematography, and plot are all impressively intriguing. This is the best blockbuster of the year, and great fun for the entire family. The only downfall is that this movie isn’t an IMAX 3D Experience.