What You're In For:
10 years after the Simian Flu spread throughout the world, and wiped out most of mankind; we find the Apes living in a comfortable and structured society, governed by the great Caesar. Our story stars when a small band of surviving humans stumble upon this great civilization, and disturb their peace. As a feud develops between the colony of humans, and the thriving apes society, both apes and man make delicate mistakes, leading them on the path to war.
Who's Involved:
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is a production of 20th Century Fox & Chernin Entertainment, Written by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Mark Bomback, Directed by Matt Reeves, and Starring: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Toby Kebbell.
Travis’s Take:
Matt Reeves has done something truly remarkable here, not only has he made a phenomenal blockbuster film, but he has crafted an intelligent and captivating drama within it. Showing an immense level of control as a filmmaker, Reeves paints a delicate masterpiece with the camera, drawing the audience in to each sequence. The skill required to balance the story's necessary whit, charm, and devastation, seems to be second nature to the filmmaker, who channels a complete understanding of the art. Matching the skill behind the camera, is Andy Serkis' unequaled motion-capture performance as Caesar; delivering more heart and soul to the screen than perhaps any other animated character before him. Serkis is supported by a great ensemble of motion-capture performers, and live action actors, bringing great weight to the story and its themes. Balancing the performances perfectly, is Michael Giacchino's mesmerizing score, enriching the cinematography with wonderful nuances, and even clever nods to the sound of the original franchise.The script is also quite an achievement, building strong characters, and creating a vast world for our conflict to arise in. The level of and talent across the entire production, is a true testament to what filmmaking is all about, and what summer movies can be, when crafted with such careful precision and unwavering devotion. It seems blasphemous to say, but I'm afraid "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" may have even out-done the original classic.
Austin's Take:
However stunning “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” looks, and by all means it is visually remarkable, the depth it takes within its story and central characters is what truly should be remembered. This film is the perfect blend of motion capture CGI and a well thought out script that pays as much detail to the individual hairs on the monkeys back as to what they feel on the inside. Directed by the underrated Matt Reeves (Let Me In), “Dawn” is set in a world where its population, recently devastated by a global virus, is on the decline and a new alpha species of apes is poised to take control. They are a new society that has learned to structure itself similar to their human counterpart. They interact with each other, speak to one another, and have learned to love and hate. In these emotions is where the story is grounded. The screenplay written by a team of writers, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Mark Bomback, is more of a character exploration disguised as a summer blockbuster. Surprisingly, the evolution of individual emotions is shown not only through humans but more so in the apes. The apes are given a choice, whether to hate or forgive, and it’s in those moments that each ape is defined. Though none of this could have been possible without the magic that Andy Serkis brings to the screen via motion capture. Rarely do we see his face actually in a film yet he has starred as some of the most memorable characters (Gollum, King Kong) in recent history. And his work with the lead ape Caesar is no different. Overall, “Dawn” is a prime example that there can be a higher level in a summer film when the attention to emotional detail and in depth character development is the focus. Not only the story, but the CGI/motion capture is brought to a new level of its own, leaving the previous installments a thing of the past. I can’t wait to see how the franchise, just like the apes, will continue to evolve.
Filmmaking Report Card:
Directing Score: 10/10
Cinematography: 9.5/10
Acting: 9/10
Screenplay: 8/10
Over-All Experience: 9/10
The Final Say:
The Final Say:
Blockbusters and franchise films don't get much better than this. From the expert execution of a well balanced script, to the spectacular visuals, Matt Reeves shows a high level of control; handling the daunting effects driven performances, and intimate character moments with great ease. This is a powerhouse film that breaks through the cliche barriers of the summer movie market, and delivers us something fresh and invigorating.
Final Score: 9/10
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