Lindsay: Rise of the Planet of the Apes is this summer’s biggest surprise. What looked at first to be just another recycled idea from unimaginative Hollywood, turned out to be a well-made and captivating addition to an established franchise.
I wasn’t expecting much of anything coming from Rise. I mean just saying the full title is galling: Rise, of the, Planet, of the Apes. It wasn’t until I caught the second version of the trailer in theaters that I decided it might be worth a watch.
The films tells a simple story, one we have all heard before. Man abuses nature, nature fights back, nature wins. But director Rupert Wyatt crafts a moving film, showcase cruelty, complexity and some top notch action. Some characters, notably the evil animal caretaker Dodge (played by someone I was told was in Harry Potter) , never fully from into anything other than a plot device. But then there’s Ceaser. The film’s prime primate played by Andy Serkis, is the story’s superglue. Serkis performance, coupled with the stunning special effects give the audience a character with so much depth and pathos. The characterization of the apes is subtle, realistic, and the high point of the movie.
