There are
errors, and then there are major, big-time catastrophes.
I made a major
catastrophe by waiting this long to see this movie. Dawn of the Planet
of the Apes is not a movie to overlook at any point in time. This new
set of movies is meant to be a prelude to the original series, and this is the
eighth theatrical film in the franchise—so far, it’s the best.
The movie
received critical acclaim upon its release and was also a box office hit, but
the real thrill is in the story.
The apes from
the first part, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), have
gathered to form a colony and have grown in numbers. They’re training their
children in the sign language and words they learned from their human captors.
Caesar still stands as their leader, but the movie is set 10 years after the
first, so Caesar now has a family with two sons.
The apes live
undisturbed in the woods because, in the human world, the panic caused by the
deadly ALZ-113 virus has led to much of the human race self-destructing. Many
of them now live in colonies formed across the world, some unaware of the
existence of others.
This depth in
the story will make you sit and wonder what the movie will bring. The intro
scenes feature the apes living together as a colony, hunting and conversing.
You might think such scenes would make you doze off, but think again—be ready
for the surprise that’s coming.
The acting,
especially by the apes, and the visual effects are in a class of their own. The
humans in the movie also deliver top-notch performances. Their story begins
when they venture into the woods, meet Caesar’s family, and are granted passage
to work on a dam to generate electricity.
This action,
among others, causes distrust in Caesar’s leadership and leads to a battle
between the apes and the human colony. The conflict results in deaths on both
sides and sets the stage for an upcoming outbreak of war, which I believe the
third film will explore.
There were cast
changes made in the movie, and since it’s set 10 years ahead in a world of
pandemonium, it was easy to write off the old cast.
This is a movie
where you buy the DVDs/Blu-rays for keeps, for future reviews. Don’t be like
me, waiting an eternity to see a classic—go see it now.
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