Orphaned after his mother is killed, Caesar (Andy Serkis) is raised by a scientist who is trying to cure Alzheimers.
Since Caesar’s mother was one of the Guinea pigs for the experimental treatments, its effects have been passed on to him.
Taken from his adopted family after a tragic accident, Caesar is imprisoned in a pound with other apes.
Tormented by loss and the sadistic human guards, Caesar is turned against the world he once looked at with wonder.
In order to escape, and survive, Caesar will have to turn on everything he used to believe in.
Rise is the only one of the reboot trilogy that I saw in theatres.
While I watched the original movies as a kid, I was never a massive fan.
Curiosity and good reviews brought me in.
A vehicle for motion capture technology, and Andy Serkis, Rise is refreshingly straightforward.
It is a good movie, and my feelings toward it are probably warmer because of the dual experiences of watching the original Caesar arc in Conquest, and the joyless dirge of the 2001 ‘reimagining’.
I love the efficiency of the storytelling.
Within 10 minutes we have all the major characters and conflicts established:
- Bright Eyes, Caesar’s mother
- Will and his work
- Bright Eyes’ death and the discovery of Caesar’s birth
- The introduction of Will’s father (John Lithgow)
A movie so good it withstands Franco’s relative blandness, Rise is made up of familiar parts. It could come off as a hodgepodge of different movies, but it all works.
The first half of the movie follows Caesar’s childhood.
The romance between Will and Freida Pinto’s vet feels edited down - as is, their dynamic is purely designed to give the lead a romantic partner, and Pinto gets little to do.
It is a testament to the movie that the movie powers through this on the strength of the script, and Serkis’ performance.
Serkis is great - he articulates the character’s arc beautifully, from youthful ebullience to scarred, tough prisoner and revolutionary.
Apparently, he was a late addition to casting. It sounds bizarre after his past experience with no-cap, but thankfully the powers that be made the right call.
If the first half is a coming-of-age tale, the second half turns into a prison break movie, as Caesar figures out how to topple the exisiting hierarchy, and outwit the cruel human guards.
The third act rebellion is cathartic, with a dramatic impact that feels like the movie Conquest wanted to be.
There is not much more to say. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is terrific!
Related
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
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