Review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) by Justin765 — 22 Jul 2014

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes occurs a decade after the events of the first film (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and follows a band of survivors of who have endured a deadly viral outbreak. It chronicles the relationship between the human survivors and a group of genetically modified apes led by Caesar. Through the evolution of the narrative events occur that leave the human survivors and the apes on the brink of war.

The cast includes Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, and the wonderful returning Andy Serkis as Caesar. The acting is in all regard good, but where it truly shines is in the scenes where Clarke's character is interacting with Caesar. The chemistry between the two leads is compelling, thrilling, and aw inspiring. Particularly due to Andy Serkin's phenomenal video capture work. Gary Oldman is also fantastic, (per usual) and no actor's presence seems to detract from the film.

Director Matt Reeves is one of the undeniable factors that makes 'Dawn' so great. Reeves direction is smart, intuitive, and filled with dozens of engaging shots. Reeves hits the mark with almost every frame and this greatly affects the overall intensity and emotion of the film. The screenplay is also admirable for creating memorable dialogue even if some of it fells like exposition.

'Dawn' also exceeds in exhibiting interesting social commentary throughout. The film presents themes of racial tension in intellectual ways and this is greatly appreciated due to the much-needed depth it adds. These social messages help to create a great deal social relevancy propelling the film past just great Si-Fi.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes improves over its predecessor in almost every way. From the stellar direction to the social commentary, 'Dawn" exceeds the summer blockbuster template to construct a film that is truly relevant while also being extremely entertaining.