'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Review

Dawn of the Planet of The Apes Review:

 Apes Knock Out Dragons and Mutants in the Best Sequel of the Summer

BY IAN TAN

If there was a match between the best sequels this year, Dawn definitely takes the cake (for now; Mockingjay Pt. 1 and Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies are in for some heavy competition). Like all great sequels, Dawn masterfully expands on the already established events of the first film and is a notable improvement over its predecessor in every way imaginable, and that’s a pretty great achievement, considering that Rise of the Planet of The Apes was already a good film and reboot for the Apes franchise.

This sequel, set 10 years after the events of Rise, sees the extent of the Simian Flu’s widespread that has caused humanity to be on the brink of extinction. While humans are scrambling to get electricity and resources to find other survivors, Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his ape colony are striving to keep their home theirs and away from human contact, an attempt which backfires as passing through the Apes’ territory is the only way humans are able to get the electricity they need. And so begins the journey of trust, family and inter-species conflict.

First of all, the motion-capture performances in this film are arguably the best ever seen on screen. Andy Serkis again delivers an unforgettable performance as Caesar and not only gives the film its needed gravitas, but also provides it with some big emotional heft, more so than any other character in the film. Toby Kebbell, who plays Koba, an all-human hating ape, gives a mo-cap (motion-capture) performance on par with Serkis’ and makes for a formidable, aggressive and downright hateful antagonist that elevates the stakes and drama of the film. Here’s to Koba for villain of the year. 

Apes aside, the human cast do a good job in their respective roles as well and are definitely a far better human ensemble cast compared to Rise. Besides that, unlike say, some of the Transformers films, the human characters do not undermine the film’s larger plot and titular characters but instead build upon them and help carry the story forward instead of bogging the film down with unnecessary sub-plots, which a plus point of Dawn. They still could have been given a little more substance to work with however, and I do wish Gary Oldman had some more screen time, considering how much of a pivotal role he seemed to play in the trailers and marketing material.

Dawn is also playing in 3D cinemas and although it does not have many standout 3D moments, director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In) skillfully uses the 3D effect subtly to create more realistic-feeling set pieces and environments that create a better sense of audience immersion compared to a regular 2D screening, even if you may not notice it. The visual effects and CGI of the apes are also more apparent in 3D and give Caesar and his apes an edge of realism that really lets you as an audience member appreciate just how much work the mo-cap actors and CG animators put into bringing these creatures to life.

Overall, Dawn of the Planet of The Apes is the summer’s best sequel (and possibly best movie) next to How To Train Your Dragon 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past and delivers on every level a good and noteworthy sequel should. If you’re starting to feel sick of all the action and explosions and excessive spectacle of the numerous action and comic book movies that have been released this summer, Dawn should be a subtler treat to your senses. Here’s a summer blockbuster where you don’t have to leave your brain at the door.

Final Rating
Dawn of the Planet of The Apes gets 8.9 stars out of 10 - Brilliant.

Also, I'd like to thank TGV Cinemas for the premiere invites to this film. Keep an eye on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TGVCinemas for more premiere invite contests!