Rise of the Planet of the Apes follows the desperate beginning of an extraordinary animal and the realization of his destiny, The Rise of the Planet of the apes, directed by Rupert Wyatt, is a film well worth your attention.
Caesar had never been your ordinary chimpanzee, even by a long shot. He was raised from infancy in the home of Will Rodman (James Franco), a seemingly average American citizen, who quitted his work to live alone and take care of his sickly father (John Lithgow), who had long since been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Caesar (Andy Serkis) marked a time of change in Will’s life, and came as something of a blessing, being a positive distraction from all that he was leaving behind. The small creature also served as a companion of sorts to will’s father, whose condition was quickly progressing, and worsening on a day-to-day basis.
Within only a few short years, Caesar’s intelligence was exceptionally advanced for a tamed creature of his species. He was clever, intuitive, and even expressed a sense of distinguished emotion. Will had taught Caesar sign language, and it was clear from his communication that he did not really comprehend the difference between himself and Will, or that there even was a significant difference between them, for that matter. As Caesar ages, and his intelligence peaks, he begins to recognize and refute the role he is required to play in a world of “intellectually superior” creatures. There is a fine line that distinguishes the homosapien and the inhuman. What would the outcome be if man decided to ignore the boundaries nature had carefully spun to separate the two?
While the charismatic James Franco is certainly a favorite actor of mine, admittedly I felt that his performance as Will Rodman, the “father” of Caesar, was satisfying, but not necessarily exemplary. It may be debatable to say that he was the main character, but supposing that is the case, he certainly had no problem sharing the limelight with the incredible Andy Serkis, who I believe to be the real star of the film. Keeping in mind that Caesar’s appearance is completely computer animated, I must express my amazement and interest regarding his awfully realistic facial expressions. In one scene, Caesar is curiously gazing at some unknown object he wishes to understand, and in another animosity and hate masks his face, distorting those almost human eyes to something beast-like and terrifying. You, as the audience could feel his pain and his hurt; sometimes you took pity on Caesar, and sometimes you were sitting still, almost afraid.
The rise of the Planet of the apes, all in all, was a film well worth your time and money. Since it depicts the origin of the Planet of the Apes story, an audience unfamiliar to the story can sit down and enjoy the movie as well as anyone else. For obvious reasons, those of you who are fans of the other Planet of the Apes films have probably already listed this film as a must-see. However, even for those who are not fans or who aren’t familiar with the story, this film still offers an interesting and enjoyable movie experience. I give it 4 out of 4 pizzas.
-KDV
