Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

 

Determined to find the cure for his father’s Alzheimer, a brilliant San Francisco scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) developed ALZ-112, a possible treatment for Alzheimer's. Shortly after a test animal goes berserk and attacks at a board meeting, the experiment is called off. Will saves a baby ape, Caesar (Andy Serkis), and brings him home along with a supply of serum to test on the animal and Will's own father (John Lithgow). A beautiful primatologist Caroline (Frieda Pinto), said to him, "Some things aren't meant to be changed." But Will choose to ignore her and continue analyze the experiment. The baby ape, Caesar, on the other hand, is growing and continues to show cognitive skills that far exceed that of a human counterpart. These skills, combine with a series of unfortunate events, enable Caesar to lead an ape revolution against the humans. Apes will rise, and they won't go down easily.

To be honest, the film exceeded all my expectations. I thought it was gonna be an average movie. But NOOOO, turns out, the film rises together with the apes. Biggest credit goes to Andy Serkis, with the help of impressive motion-capture technology, gives the best performance in the movie. He probably has already got used to the role, consider that this is the second film in which he plays an ape, having previously portrayed 2005's version of King Kong. He was also the man behind Gollum in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. So if you are a die-hard fan of Planet of the Apes, watching this prequel is a mandatory. But even if you aren’t, watching it will be an enjoyable experience because it is well executed by director Rupert Wyatt. The story is evocative and engaging, although there are some slight plot holes, but easily forgiven. The special effects are state-of-the-art and the scenes, especially at the Golden Gate Bridge and Redwood Forest are stunning.