Rise of the Planet of the Apes

These are just some generic comments about the movie, since I finally got around to actually watching it. There may be some spoilers so read at your own risk.

It came very much out of nowhere. I don't think anyone was expecting a new version of Planet of the Apes after the Tim Burton remake in 2001. However this prequel offers a view into what may have occurred to earth that lead to the strange planet that Charlton Heston encounters in the original Planet of the Apes.

The film I think is very powerful and very well put together. The intelligence enhancing drug is used incredibly well so is not too much of a plot device, rather a circumstance for the story to develop The CGI is very well done lending quite a bit of creepiness to the evolving chimpanzee. The movie pays its respects to the original 1968 epic with Charlton Heston in many small references and nods that any fan of the classic will immediately pick up. The infamous line "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!" is in the movie, however its delivery was quite underwhelming. Said by Tom Felton of Harry Potter fame it sadly lacked the punch that Heston originally gave it, and the reason it has become so famous. I was expecting the ever slimy bad guy Brian Cox to say it and it would have been much better. As it is "Draco Malfoy " does a good job of hiding his British accent, but sadly just doesn't have the onscreen presence or voice to deliver it.

A short reference to Charlton Heston in the form of a TV screen showing part of The 10 Commandments was a welcome nod. Also the infamous Space mission Icarus that would eventually return to earth in the original film was mentioned in a news cast. The soundtrack is pounding as it should be and keeps you at the edge of your seat for most of the movie. Its well done, and extremely well edited in, with no abrupt cuts, or strange moments.

All in all the movie is actually pretty good. The CGI apes are very well rendered to the point where you forget sometimes they are not real though others its a little more obvious. Also the very well animated facial expressions of the main star of the movie, Caesar, adds a lot of depth to the character and makes the story that much more believable. At then end its a very good movie in all aspects, one that surpasses the original in terms of story line and shocks with a great ending. If this si the beginning of a new series of films Its a series really worth watching.

4 out of 5 reels.