Rise of the Planet of the Apes

SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

That's the second time I've used those words on my blog and the first movie I used those words for, I was dead on the money. I really feel like I am again here. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a truly entertaining movie in every sense of the word and if you can get past James Franco's horrible acting then you will most definitely enjoy this movie. I went in thinking this movie was going to possibly disappoint no matter how great the trailer looked. Why? Because it was a planet of the apes movie and all previous incarnations were campy at best. Granted those ape movies were many years ago when best they could do was a mask on Roddy McDowell. Technology has come such a long way since then.

The story is a great one. Doctor Will Rodman is developing a cure for Alzheimer's but before they try human trials they decide to test it on the one mammal that is closest to humans, apes. The drug works wonders for one particular chimpanzee and because the drug does something to the iris of the eyes, she's nicknamed "bright eyes". Much to the labs surprise "bright eyes" was pregnant when the drug was administered to her and she goes berserk when she feels her offspring is threatened, bright eyes seals her fate by rampaging through the labs. Her offspring, Caeser who was in utero when his mother was given the drug is taken home by the head of the lab and designer of the wonder drug Doctor Rodman played by James Franco. He lives at home with his ailing father the talented John Lithgow who is succumbing to Alzheimer's.

The cast for this surprisingly good movie is a surprisingly good one. Look past James Franco and there's Bryan Cox, the lovely Freida Pinto, the underrated David Oyelowo, and fresh off his turn as Draco Malfoy from the Potter movies there's Tom Felton possibly being typecast. The star of the cast though, the one who is the motor of this movie is without a doubt the truly gifted Andy Serkis who plays Caeser. Serkis was the man behind the incredible performance of Gollum in the LOTR movies and was even mentioned quietly possibly getting an Oscar nomination for his work in those movies. He now shows off his incredible skills in Apes with the movements and facial gestures of Caeser. Solidly directed by relative newcomer Rupert Wyatt, Apes is a smartly written and well executed movie.

A very good portion of this movie takes place in "the monkey house" where Caeser is sent after he attacks his neighbor. It's compelling to watch how he goes from being the outcast and bullied to king of the pack. The scenes where Caeser is forced to stay behind after his human parents are court ordered to leave him in a place he knows nothing about and when he's finally allowed to go home and chooses to stay is great movie making. Caeser taking control of the pack coupled with the dangerous side effects of the second incarnation of the Alzheimer's drug on humans clearly illustrates how the apes will eventually take control.

Now should there be a sequel to this prequel, and I am sure there will be the producers of said possible prequel sequel would be wise to have Patrick Doyle score that movie as he did this movie. That would be a winning formula (and possibly an award winning one as well). The score was a fantastic marriage to the images of rampaging apes, chimps, and monkeys on the screen. Patrick did a great job on Thor and he's done another great job here.

I said it earlier, see this movie because it's just a really good film and I'll see you at the theater.