Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Review

In prep for the newest Planet of the Apes film, I have decided to watch the reboot that started off the Andy Serkis trilogy and boy oh boy is this film solid. I like how they didn't just go for a bunch of A-List actors (James Franco I consider B-List). Brian Cox, John Lithgow, David Oyelowo, and even Tom Felton all give good solid performances that in my opinion work better than if they had a Tom Cruise or any big name star as one of the main humans because the apes are the stars here and in the centre of it all is Andy Serkis as Caesar. He is absolutely fantastic. Not only is this movie entertaining, but I love that there is always a sense of impending doom throughout the movie. There were so many times where if a character did something just the slightest bit differently, the whole outcome of the world would have changed. Also, with some subtle visuals and the use (or non-usage) of music in various scenes really play up the fact that this peaceful neighbourhood won't stay this way for long and something serious is about to go down. The whole film has a giant layer of intrigue that makes you want to keep watching and when it ends, you don't want it to be over. Also, the action scenes are driven by story, unlike some blockbusters where the story is driven by the action scenes. Now I have no problem with action scenes driving the story, but here, the film just seems smarter. Dealing with themes of family, cruelty towards another kind, finding one's place, and sacrificing one's happiness for the greater good can all be found in a film with a bunch of apes storming across the Golden Gate bridge. Overall, this is a solid movie with a great level of intrigue and is a great set-up for an even better sequel. Great film and good job Andy Serkis! Let's hope an oscar is in your new future!