An excellent pay-off.
Directed by Matt Reeves, this eighth film in the surprisingly long-running "Apes" franchise,
was released in July of 2014 - and is the second film in the reboot trilogy.
Produced on a mammoth $235 million budget, this science fiction action film still pulled
in an impressive $710 million in worldwide proceeds.
Ten years after a deadly disease wiped out most of mankind, a growing community of genetically
evolved apes and a band of human survivors attempt to co-exist.
In other words, "Dawn" builds off the events set-up in "Rise" in wonderful and satisfying
ways.
Motion-capture extraordinaire, Andy Serkis returns in the lead role, as Caesar, the highly
intelligent leader of the apes.
Having built a community of talking, family oriented primates, Serkis is confronted with
the responsibilities of diplomacy, as he advises his tribe, signing, "If we go to war, we could
lose all we've built...", before finishing his thought out-loud by softly saying, "Home.
Family.
Future."
As an entirely CGI-character, he is able to effortlessly bring an emotional and human
performance to a decidedly non-human character - most of this accomplished with a furrow
of his brow, or a glance from his deep green eyes.
The attention to his character design is impressive, like a scene where Caesar pushes through a
subway station's turnstile - while all the other apes hop over it.
It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it detail that illustrates his human upbringing and advanced
intelligence.
Commendably, this is one of the only big-budget films that uses American Sign Language (or
at least, an ape-inspired variant) as one of its primary on-screen languages.
"Dawn" does not shy away from using subtitles.
Karin Konoval continues to exhibit emotional depth as Caesar's orange orangutan friend,
while the treacherous Koba is now played by Toby Kebbell in a menacing performance.
Unfortunately, no human characters from "Rise" return, but James Franco is referenced in
a particularly touching scene.
Instead, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, and Keri Russell are introduced as hopeful, but cautious
humans, who have survived horrible conditions only to reluctantly be thrust into a war with
their violent primate counterparts.
For reasons I can't quite articulate, Oldman just doesn't seem well-suited to this part,
and Russell is underutilized to a criminal extent.
Clarke however impresses, imbuing his character with much needed patience and bravery.
We're introduced to the growing conflict between man and ape when a scout party unwittingly
sparks a dramatic stand-off, with both sides on a hair-trigger.
The tension that builds between these two groups is the entire driving force of the
carefully paced film, which should leave most audiences breathless as it unravels.
Throughout the 131-minute film, I found myself rooting for the impossible; the peaceful co-existence
of two dominant species.
We know it can't happen - but we still want it to.
A scene where the uneasy alliance finally restores power, allowing a stereo to play
music again for the first time in years is an emotionally powerful moment.
That is of course until you remember cars have radios too - which shouldn't have been
affected by a defunct power-grid.
The first "Apes" film shot in the taller 16:9 frame brilliantly captures both the lush forest
areas of the American north west, as well as the haunting desolation of a ruined San
Francisco.
The imagery of an abandoned and moss-covered city center is very invocative of Naughty
Dog's "The Last Of Us" video game - in all the best ways.
The visual effects perfectly blend the authentic locations and people with digital creatures
that are just as lifelike.
For their efforts, Peter Jackson's WETA Digital scored a well-earned Academy Award nomination.
The PG-13 rated picture doesn't have many twists or surprises, but the final climactic
battle between apes, humans, and other apes is a true spectacle to behold... as seeing
an angry ape charge on horseback while firing a machine gun is truly terrifying.
An extended POV-shot that's fixed to a mounted tank as it plows through a hectic battlefield
is a particular highlight.
Michael Giacchino's score provides a deep and drum like rhythm that further emphasizes
the seriousness of the realistic narrative, but it also includes occasional musical callbacks
to the original score's more whimsical style.
Although we're left with a satisfying conclusion, some plot threads are appropriately left unresolved
- setting up "War For The Planet Of The Apes" rather nicely.
Covering themes of trust, community, and betrayal, this is a touching story mixed with captivating
and exciting action.
An excellent summer blockbuster that improves with every viewing "Dawn Of The Planet Of
The Apes" is the best "Apes" yet, and is worthy of my highest score.
I'm re-rating this an AMAZING.
That does it for this quick excerpt - but if you'd like to watch more "Movie Night",
click or tap the thumbnails on the left.
And don't forget to visit the Jogwheel YouTube channel to see full episodes of this show
in addition to the other content I produce.
My name is Jonathan Paula, thanks for watching and have a good Movie Night!