Sunday 13 July 2014

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Hello there. I love monkeys. I love monkeys in film. But these days after watching how cruel is it to have real monkeys and apes in films the next best thing is a film like this. Where you wouldn’t know they weren’t real monkeys and apes unless told.
Back in the original films you, of course, could tell it was a guy in excellent make up monkeying around. But these days the audience is smarter and wants CGI for their bucks.  Stunning apes they are too. Thankfully this film rises from the ashes of the mess Tim Burton made of the franchise.
Andy Serkis, the mo-cap king, is amazing as the lead ape Caesar. His movement and matters make you believe that is a creature born and raised as an ape. It is the type of amazing performance that makes you hate award voters during the award season as they pass on voting for what is one of the strongest performances any actor can give.
 James Franco is also good. Sometimes James is lazy, thinking he can get away with just playing James Franco (and I don’t just mean as in the overlong, over indulgent This Is The End) but here he plays a well rounded character looking for a cure after a personal family tragedy.

With the sequel here so soon it’s time to revisit this great film or watch it for the first time in preparation for the films to come. Come they will, long live the king of the monkey films.


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