Monday, February 16, 2015

Weekly Review – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

            “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” is a very interesting breed of film. It’s a science fiction film, but one can easily lose sight of the fact while you’re experiencing the drama of the movie. It’s a movie that appeals to fans of the classic Planet of the Apes series of films, and it’s still widely accessible to nonfans of the famed franchise. Dawn is spectacular in that it gets you so deeply and emotionally invested in talking computer generated animals, with the artistry and finesse of any best picture nominee at the Academy Awards. You never see this type of effort and deep story telling with just any summer blockbuster, and this was one no one thought would do as well as it did.

            Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and with this film, they did the impossible. Dawn is bigger and better than its predecessor. Ten years have passed since the events of the first film, the Apes are now a larger group, and they’ve formed a society, and a culture. Still present in this film is the leader of the Apes, Caesar, who plays the role of the alpha male among the Apes. He is their king, and he does all he can to keep his tribe safe, secure, and content. But everything changes when humans make their way into the Ape’s section of the Red Woods. A brief encounter causes both the humans and the Apes to get on their guard. These are two equal sides who are very afraid of each other because no one knows what the other is really capable of.

            From this moment on in the film, it becomes a battle against suspicion and tension as Apes and humans fight to trust one another and to co-exist. It becomes clear that everything Caesar and his Apes are going through are mirrored through some of the hardships that the humans are facing themselves. In that respect, the movie does a fantastic job of delivering a drama and not just another summer blockbuster hell bent on showcasing over the top special effects and fights. The film takes on a very human feel, and acts more as a metaphor for race wars and how people should hold brotherhood above all. We all have problems, and we all have people, family, and friends we’re trying to watch out for.

            Its marvelous how there is no clear cut villain, even when a character does something genuinely evil, you know where their coming from, and you feel their pain rather than all out hate them. And this is a strength the first film has as well, and it’s refreshing to see it repeated in this sequel, all be it in a different way. And it’s incredible to see the evolution of a series that began as a popcorn flick, turn into a comment on society for all ages. You can really pick and choose who your favorite character is, and there are no weak characters in the film to begin with. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is worth your time.

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