Movie Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Starring: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Director: Matt Reeves

20th Century Fox, Chernin Entertainment, Ingenious Media, TSG Entertainment, USA, 2014. 

10 Years after the events in Rise of the Planet of the Apes the virus epidemic has destroyed most of the humans. The apes have built their society in Redwood forest. Caesar (Andy Serkis) is their wise leader, other notable apes are Caesar's second in command Koba (Toby Kebbell), teacher Maurice (Karin Konoval), Caesar's friend Rocket (Terry Notary) and Caesar's son Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston). An expedition of humans goes searching for hydroelectric plant. They meet the apes and one of the humans panics and wounds Rocket's son. Caesar orders the humans never to return to the forest. 

In the middle: Ellie, Makcolm and Alexander

Apes on a hunting trip

Dreyfus, the leader of humans

As a show of power the apes lead an army to the ruined city of San Francisco. Caesar declares that the apes do not want war and the humans should stay in their own territory. A man named Malcolm (Jason Clarke) is impressed by Caesar. Malcolm believes he can make an treaty with Caesar about repairing the hydroelectric plant.

Caesar, the leader of apes

Malcolm and apes repairing the dam

The leader of humans Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) is sceptical and fortifies the defenses. Malcolm, his wife Ellie (Keri Russell) and their son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee) take a repair-team to the Ape territory. They manage to befriend Caesar. Koba was tortured by humans and is hostile to humans. Koba accuses Caesar of being too soft on the humans and gains support from Caesar's son. Koba steals some weapons, and eventually the war between the humans and apes begins. 

Koba

Ape army on the march

The apes are living as a tribe complete with face paints. The apes have learned to speak a little. Caesar is again a likable character and charismatic leader. One emotional scene has Caesar visiting the house where he grew up in the previous film. Not even the ape society is immune to throne scheming. Both the humans and apes have characters who want to live in peace with the others and also those who want to wipe the other side off the map. There is symmetry to the first film, with apes capturing and slaving humans this time. The effects are again great with even better looking apes. As a sequel it is even better than the Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Rating: Excellent

(Photos: WETA/20th Century Fox)