Help support TMP


Rise of the Planet of the Apes


Runtime
105 minutes
Type
Color
Genres
action, drama, sci-fi

Rate This Movie

If you have read this movie, please rate it from 1 (low) to 10 (high).

TMP Members can rate this movie. Would you like to be a member?


Back to MOVIES FOR WARGAMERS


Areas of Interest

Science Fiction

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Top-Rated Ruleset

Tusk


Rating: gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star 


Featured Showcase Article


Featured Workbench Article

15mm Hive Mind: Acid-Shooting Bugs

Creating giant alien acid-shooting bugs from dollar-store toys.


Featured Profile Article

First Look: Final Faction Figures

Want to game with 4" action figures, at an affordable price point?


Current Poll


This entry created 14 August 2023. Last revised on 14 August 2023.

836 hits since 13 Aug 2023
©1994-2024 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?


Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Rating: gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star no star no star (7.66)

This is the second reboot of the Planet of the Apes film series, and is essentially a retelling of the story of Caesar from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (the fourth movie in the original series).

Forget about time-traveling apes. In this version, Caesar's mother dies in a lab mishap, and the newborn chimpanzee Caesar (Andy Serkis) is secretly adopted by scientist Will Rodman (James Franco), who is desperately seeking the cure for Alzheimer's to save his father (played by John Lithgow).

It turns out that Caesar has the same experimental virus that his mother had been injected with. The drug, a possible cure for Alzheimer's, not only repairs the brain… it improves the brain!

What will become of intelligent ape Caesar? Can Will cure his father's dementia? Will GenSys, a powerful pharmaceutical corporation, back the drug and save millions of people afflicted with Alzheimer's?

Other notable characters include Caroline (Freida Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire) as Will's girlfriend, Dr. Jacobs (David Oyelowo) as Will's boss, and Dodge (Tom Felton of Harry Potter) as an abusive animal handler.

Even though this movie rewrites much of the Planet of the Apes story, there has been a lot of effort to pay homage to the original movie series.

I thought the movie was well conceived, flows well, has plenty of action, and the performances are solid. Special effects now allows the apes to be computer-generated, based on motion-capture technology – no more make-up. To me, it looks animated rather than realistic, but it's amazing nonetheless.

James Franco is young and earnest as the scientist, but never seems particularly smart. John Lithgow is great as always as the afflicted father. Freido Pinto is enchanting as the love interest, but her role is limited. Since Caesar in this version is non-vocal, Andy Serkis has the difficult task of trying to hint at what Caesar is thinking by emoting at the camera. The result is an adult Caesar who seems moody, mysterious, and not very likeable.

I thought the movie was OK, and it obviously sets things up for a sequel. Entertaining if not thought provoking like the original movie.