Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes – Review

Starring: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow

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An Origin tale focusing on mans creation of a virus that leads to higher intelligence in primates, setting the framework for a war between the species

Will Rodman (James Franco) desperately is trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s, the disease that is ravaging his father Charles (John Lithgow). When a demonstration doesn’t go as planned, Will becomes the unwitting surrogate father to Caesar (Andy Serkis) a baby Chimp with advanced intelligence. When a mishap places Caesars in a Chimp containment unit he gains the adversaries to free himself and become the leader of the Apes.

Given how Awful the Wahlberg/Burton offering was at rebooting the franchise Rise was able to fly under the radar with minimal expectations, given a modest budget for a film with this much CGI and a Director with a rather short resume. Rise is one of those films that will be a success based on positive word of mouth not so much by how good it is but how good it is compared to the last one and low expectations.

“Weta” (Peter Jacksons FX house The Company behind the FX of Avatar, King Kong, LOTR Trilogy) does an adequate job on the apes given the overwhelming amount of CGI utilized. You’re not going to believe for a second that these are real chimps but they are able to capture the essence of the animals with their expressive eyes. Jackson Favorite Andy Serkis (Gollum from LOTR’s, a guy you couldn’t pick out of a lineup of one yet has had an overly impressive career being mocapped.) does a good job as Caesar basically giving a silent film performance. Although Franco has the headlining gig he is used sparingly with Caser being the focal point.

One of the most irritating aspects of the film is that for some reason even when everyone is talking about Caesar they have to refer to him by his name, this has lead me to believe that upon its DVD release, Rise is going to be huge drinking game film. If you have to take a drink for every time the name Caesar is said, you will be passed out in a gutter 40 minutes in. Another distraction is typecast Tom Felton as Dodge Landon, every time he is on the screen all I can think of is why is Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter films) being such a dick to the chimpanzees. If he doesn’t like them why is he working as a caretaker for them, he is so over the top obnoxious that you know he is doomed. The character is so lame that he and a friend bring two girls to his work, to show off by scaring the chimps. I have never met one girl, who gets turned on by animal cruelty, audiences will rejoice in this tools death.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes does a good job setting up the origins and is far and away better than the overhyped and under delivering 2001 failed reboot. It’s no blockbuster but it is an Enjoyable B movie

Grade-81