Dawn of the Planet of the Apes review

BEST NEW FEATURE

Here are my thoughts on the sequel to 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

This new Planet of the Apes movie continues the build-up to the famous setting of the original film in the series. Building upon its predecessor's strengths, it is a strong addition to a surprisingly dramatic summer. Indeed, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is arguably a high point in a particularly strong summer of films.

Malcolm (Jason Clarke) is a member of a survivor group of humans in the face of a plague that is taking a toll on populations all over the world. When looking for a dam to restore power to his settlement, he comes across the intelligent apes from the last film, led by Caesar (Andy Serkis). The two species are distrustful of one another, but their mutual survival may hinge on them coming to terms. Given the franchise, we all know how this ends.

Clarke as Malcolm is a very strong dramatic lead, although the real acting props have to go to Gary Oldman as Dreyfus, the leader of the settlement. Oldman is charismatic in this role, rallying the scared masses against the apes. Meanwhile, while the ape characters are CGI and communicate mostly through sign language, Serkis and his fellow voice actors deserve credit for their convincing voice work when the apes do talk. The rough, partially broken English spoken by these apes is primal and gives the impression of a species that doesn't natively speak in the tongue, which is exactly how the apes should talk.

The main success of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, however, is the characters themselves and the strong narrative. The story illustrates the two sides of people when confronted with something unknown. Many are afraid, but a smart few are curious and try to understand. This is reflected back on the apes, where few of them are willing to trust the humans. Unfortunately, the conclusion is foregone due to the nature of this film as a sequel, and no matter how many windows of opportunity it gives the protagonists, and informed audience member will know that they cannot win. This causes some of the more hopeful moments to become depressing instead due to their futility.

The characters in particular are fantastic. As mentioned, Clarke and his friends make for strong lead characters, and their growing relationship with the apes is genuinely uplifting. The three main characters are given strong backstories, though they aren't touched upon to the greatest possible extent. Meanwhile, the increasingly humanized apes include a number of strong characters, including the villainous Koba, Caesar's son Blue Eyes, and of course Caesar himself. The relationship between Blue Eyes and Caesar is of particular note, and Blue Eyes' personal conflict makes him the film's most memorable character.

Thematically, this film shows plenty of ambition, attempting to grapple with ideas about the nature of fear of the unknown and basic human nature. These come across very well through the characters and story, and the movie's ambition pays off with depth and emotional potency. However, while it is well executed, much of what the film has to say comes off as a little rote.

Visually, this is a stunning piece of work. Everything is convincing. The town is dilapidated, but still liveable, and the apes' home is drenched in the beginnings of a new culture. The apes themselves look great, never contrasting with the humans and brimming with detail. Scenes of the apes and the humans working together contain a sort of synergy, whereas the action, where it happens, is often kept close to individual characters and provides a sort of horrifying intensity to stay engaging in the absence of regular fun.

This is yet another strong summer blockbuster in a year filled with strong summer blockbusters, with dramatic weight and narrative heft made better by its intelligent writing and its strong characters. The film's foregone conclusion may affect its ability to affect your emotions, but the powerful direction almost makes up for that. It's a fantastic piece of science fiction.

9/10