Review of Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) by Shawn E — 03 Jan 2015

I don't think anyone would have expected 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' to be anything other than a half-assed attempt to milk whatever remaining money it could from this apparently lifeless franchise.

Tim Burton's iteration saw to it that any potential it had was utterly destroyed. Surprisingly, this latest entry in the long-running series manages to upend all negative perceptions and it turns out to be quite a solid action movie with a great deal of heart.

Rupert Wyatt's direction is impressive and he stages action sequences with quite a bit of gusto and a clarity that is, sadly, missing from most movies of this kind these days. The special effects manage to be quite strong too.

The lead ape, Cesar, aided by the remarkable talents of the always wonderful Andy Serkis, is remarkably articulate and convincing, showing a great deal of emotion that makes him incredibly sympathetic.

Other performances from the human actors range from good (Franco, Lithgow) to downright silly (Poor Tom Felton seems like he'll be stuck playing Draco Malfoy for all eternity and it just doesn't suit him well here).

The script fluctuates back and forth between intelligent, thought out storytelling and flat out cliches, but, overall, it gets the job done. The film starts stronger than it finishes, but it's certainly no failure - Far from it.

It's definitely worth seeing and even leaves the door open for more stories to tell. And if those stories are as exciting and heartfelt as what's on display here and the filmmaking technique as inspired, returning to the Planet of the Apes will be something to look forward to.