SusannahRise of the Planet of the Apes
December 2nd 2011 10:54
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011)
Starring: Andy Serkis, James Franco, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton.
Directed by: Rupert Wyatt.
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes may be a cumbersome film title, but it is far from a bloated action film. Instead it offers a lean, emotionally engaging tale in which story, and the journey of Caesar’s character, takes precedence.
James Franco plays a promising young scientist, Will Rodman, who is desperate to gain funding for human trials for a brain-cell regenerating serum which he has been testing on chimps. Far from a megalomaniacal scientist, the personal reasons for his developing the drug become clear as his father, Charles (John Lithgow) is revealed to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Invited to present his research to the company board, it all goes horribly wrong when his prize test subject runs amok. All funding for the drug research is cut, dashing his hopes. However, Will discovers that the chimp had been pregnant, and did not act-out from aggressive side-effects, but from a desire to protect her baby chimp to whom she had recently given birth. Smuggling the baby out of the lab, he raises the chimp at home. Christened Caesar after Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Will discovers that he exhibits intelligence far beyond that of other chimps, and also, that his IQ is beyond that of his human counterparts. Thus the effects of the intelligence serum were passed on from mother to unborn son, and so can be transmitted genetically. Caesar learns to sign and understands Will's voice commands. Caesar also has distinctive green irises, a side effect of the intelligence serum.
For a while everything goes incredibly well. Caesar, Will and Charles live together happily. Seeing that the drug works, Will gives it to his father, whose intelligence comes back, and Will meets Caroline (Freida Pinto), a veterinarian who loves chimps. Unfortunately, it does not last, and Charles' body begins to build up a resistance to the serum, causing him to regress. It is when defending Charles from a confrontation with a bothersome neighbour, after Charles suffers a confused episode in a car, that Caesar is perceived as dangerous. He is taken away to a chimp sanctuary which appears to be run by an indifferent owner and his sadistic son (Tom Felton, not breaking the Draco Malfoy mould). Caesar has always perceived that he is different from humans, but after his separation from his "father" he realises that he will never be accepted by humans. But he has never interacted with other chimps before, and feels separated from them too.
Andy Serkis' performance as Caesar is simply amazing. The digital effects are astonishing for all the apes (gorilla, orang-utan), but what Serkis is able to convey emotionally, and the sympathy he elicits for Caesar, is as real as if a person is on screen. I challenge anyone not to have their eyes mist up when Caesar draws his window in chalk on his cell wall, pretending that he is once again at home, and that he hears the laughter of the children next door. Serkis also conveys Caesar's transition from exuberant youth, to steely commander of a rebellious band of apes, extremely well.
Franco, Pinto and Lithgow all manage to give good support, in spite of this being Serkis' show. As Will, Franco does not demonstrate any far-fetched action-man heroics, and his affection for Caesar is honest and palpable. Lithgow is sympathetic and convincing as the Alzheimer’s afflicted father. Pinto, while she does not get to do a great deal, is understanding of Will's predicament, and is spared the usual role in action films of the girlfriend bitching at the hero for all his bad decisions.
As Caesar learns to fit in with his fellow chimpanzees, and, in another plot development, is able to increase their intelligence too by giving them the intelligence serum, he chooses to stay with his own kind and emerges as their leader. But unlike what the trailer implies, this is not an ape overthrow of humanity, but rather, that humanity's tampering with animals creates a group who simply seek their independence from the oppressive and cruel human rule in their enclosure. Humans are the villains because they persecute what they do not understand and see the apes as a threat, when their goal is simply to have their own home. The ending also strongly implies that the intelligence serum has created a virus that may bring about the end of humanity on earth - paving the way for a sequel perhaps?
This also fits in very nicely with the established world of the many ‘Apes films made in the 70s. There are several clever allusions to those films, including footage of George Taylor’s (Charlton Heston) astronaut being interviewed on television regarding the first manned mission to Mars, and a subsequent headline that the mission was lost in space. Also, Caesar is shown building a model of the Statue of Liberty, but only getting as far as the head and shoulders…
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an intelligent, engaging film that focuses strongly on character, storyline and on maintaining the internal logic of the film. There will always be holes to pick in the plotting of any sci-fi, but the storywriters make a valiant effort at clearly accounting for each plot development. The action, when it comes, is exciting and refrains from over-editing and confusing, bombastic sequences that ruin many other blockbuster films. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is definitely worth a watch.
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Starring: Andy Serkis, James Franco, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton.
Directed by: Rupert Wyatt.
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes may be a cumbersome film title, but it is far from a bloated action film. Instead it offers a lean, emotionally engaging tale in which story, and the journey of Caesar’s character, takes precedence.
The green irises of Caesar
James Franco plays a promising young scientist, Will Rodman, who is desperate to gain funding for human trials for a brain-cell regenerating serum which he has been testing on chimps. Far from a megalomaniacal scientist, the personal reasons for his developing the drug become clear as his father, Charles (John Lithgow) is revealed to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
James Franco as Will Rodman
Invited to present his research to the company board, it all goes horribly wrong when his prize test subject runs amok. All funding for the drug research is cut, dashing his hopes. However, Will discovers that the chimp had been pregnant, and did not act-out from aggressive side-effects, but from a desire to protect her baby chimp to whom she had recently given birth. Smuggling the baby out of the lab, he raises the chimp at home. Christened Caesar after Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Will discovers that he exhibits intelligence far beyond that of other chimps, and also, that his IQ is beyond that of his human counterparts. Thus the effects of the intelligence serum were passed on from mother to unborn son, and so can be transmitted genetically. Caesar learns to sign and understands Will's voice commands. Caesar also has distinctive green irises, a side effect of the intelligence serum.
Caesar in the sanctuary
For a while everything goes incredibly well. Caesar, Will and Charles live together happily. Seeing that the drug works, Will gives it to his father, whose intelligence comes back, and Will meets Caroline (Freida Pinto), a veterinarian who loves chimps. Unfortunately, it does not last, and Charles' body begins to build up a resistance to the serum, causing him to regress. It is when defending Charles from a confrontation with a bothersome neighbour, after Charles suffers a confused episode in a car, that Caesar is perceived as dangerous. He is taken away to a chimp sanctuary which appears to be run by an indifferent owner and his sadistic son (Tom Felton, not breaking the Draco Malfoy mould). Caesar has always perceived that he is different from humans, but after his separation from his "father" he realises that he will never be accepted by humans. But he has never interacted with other chimps before, and feels separated from them too.
Tom Felton as the sadistic sanctuary keeper
Andy Serkis' performance as Caesar is simply amazing. The digital effects are astonishing for all the apes (gorilla, orang-utan), but what Serkis is able to convey emotionally, and the sympathy he elicits for Caesar, is as real as if a person is on screen. I challenge anyone not to have their eyes mist up when Caesar draws his window in chalk on his cell wall, pretending that he is once again at home, and that he hears the laughter of the children next door. Serkis also conveys Caesar's transition from exuberant youth, to steely commander of a rebellious band of apes, extremely well.
Caesar holding onto Charles
Franco, Pinto and Lithgow all manage to give good support, in spite of this being Serkis' show. As Will, Franco does not demonstrate any far-fetched action-man heroics, and his affection for Caesar is honest and palpable. Lithgow is sympathetic and convincing as the Alzheimer’s afflicted father. Pinto, while she does not get to do a great deal, is understanding of Will's predicament, and is spared the usual role in action films of the girlfriend bitching at the hero for all his bad decisions.
Caroline and Will look worried
As Caesar learns to fit in with his fellow chimpanzees, and, in another plot development, is able to increase their intelligence too by giving them the intelligence serum, he chooses to stay with his own kind and emerges as their leader. But unlike what the trailer implies, this is not an ape overthrow of humanity, but rather, that humanity's tampering with animals creates a group who simply seek their independence from the oppressive and cruel human rule in their enclosure. Humans are the villains because they persecute what they do not understand and see the apes as a threat, when their goal is simply to have their own home. The ending also strongly implies that the intelligence serum has created a virus that may bring about the end of humanity on earth - paving the way for a sequel perhaps?
Caesar leads his army
This also fits in very nicely with the established world of the many ‘Apes films made in the 70s. There are several clever allusions to those films, including footage of George Taylor’s (Charlton Heston) astronaut being interviewed on television regarding the first manned mission to Mars, and a subsequent headline that the mission was lost in space. Also, Caesar is shown building a model of the Statue of Liberty, but only getting as far as the head and shoulders…
Caesar looks serious
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an intelligent, engaging film that focuses strongly on character, storyline and on maintaining the internal logic of the film. There will always be holes to pick in the plotting of any sci-fi, but the storywriters make a valiant effort at clearly accounting for each plot development. The action, when it comes, is exciting and refrains from over-editing and confusing, bombastic sequences that ruin many other blockbuster films. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is definitely worth a watch.
If you like this review then Tweet it!
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