When we hear the word prequel, a lot of us groan because we know the premise is just as damned as a remake/reboot (which incidentally this is, but we'll skip over that because the other Ape prequels sucked) The majority of us, me included, don't like prequels or remakes (excluding Batman Begins, that film was awesome). There is no suspense and therefore no drama because you already know the fate of the characters anyway. What doesn't work for most prequels, certainly works for Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes which, although you know eventually the Apes are going to take over (The Planet Of The Apes told us that,) you don't know when or how as Rise Of... is so far set in the past you can thoroughly enjoy the ride.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes tells the story of Will Rodman (James Franco) who develops a seemingly safe cure for Alzheimer's disease using an ape called Bright Eyes. However, when Bright Eyes goes a bit on the mental side; she is killed and the whole lab is shut down due to a possible side effect. When subsequent apes are put down, handler Robert Franklin (Tyler Labine) finds a baby ape.Will, reluctantly, takes the ape home to his Alzheimer ridden father (John Lithgoe) soon the baby ape Caeser (remarkably played by Andy Serkis) grows in alarming and interesting ways with events soon spiraling out of control.
First and for most, the CGI effects a mind blowing. Not only Andy Serkis (our favourite go to with monsters, remember Gollum?) does fantastically at mimicking the movements of an ape but the layers of CGI on each of the creatures breathes life into the ape. Not a hair is out of place, every feeling is conveyed with the eyes and the faces are not expressionless. You'll be dumbfounded to guess if the apes are CGI or are some real apes? It is truly a incredible feat by the guys at Weta Digital.
Also, there are key moments of emotionalism that are played heart -wrenching throughout the film. From the warming bond between Caeser, Will and his father to the romance between Will and Caroline (Frieda Pinto) the key actors are brilliant and tears will well up more than a few times within the movie. What's more, the growth of Ceaser and the douche-bags who plan to keep him locked up and shut up, will give you a sense that you have never felt before; you want all the humans to bloody die. Caeser is a revolutionary character with more humanity than his human counterparts. This is much a testament to the writers and director Rupert Wyatt that you are on the edge pumping your fist into the air every-time a monkey knocks one of us out despite knowing that soon we will be over run.
There are a few bad eggs in the film and sadly, this prequel isn't perfect. Tom Felton, though despite best efforts falters with his American accent. I genuinely feel sorry for the guy who broke out of Harry Potter to shake of his Draco Malfoy image only to be playing a poorer filthy version of him (a bad guy who does his fathers bidding? See?) Furthermore, Brian Cox's supposedly villain is rarely seen and when he is, the character feels stiff and not welcomed..
There are nods to the previous Planet Of The Apes film; Bright Eyes, Caeser and the statue of liberty and of course, "Get your hands off me your damn dirty ape" is uttered but The Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes is a stand alone film. Though, despite the 1968 original being a classic, this fresh new tale is beyond the average prequel or reboot. It gives us action and terrifying scenes as well as emotive and brilliant played connections. There are several moments that clue us in to a sequel and I can't wait to watch as the apes make monkey's out of us all.
4/5
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