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Rise of the Planet of the Apes
- Review Date: August 5, 2011
- PG-13
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 2011
Common Sense Media says
Occasionally violent origin story is surprisingly good.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this origin story is less sci-fi and more relationship drama, making it a surprisingly equal-opportunity choice for teens and parents. There's not much language, sexuality, or drinking, but the animal-human violence gets intense in the second half of the movie. Humans are afraid of the apes, so they shoot and poke them, and the threatened apes react defensively by smashing cars, throwing spears, pushing police officers off a bridge, and generally wreaking havoc on the Bay Area. There are a few pivotal death scenes for both species, but the movie's focus is less on the action and more on the nuanced question of how animals and humans can co-exist once there's no intelligence barrier.
What's the story?
Will (James Franco) is a pharmaceutical scientist who's discovered a breakthrough drug that could cure Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases. But when his ace lab chimp, who has shown extreme intelligence from the experimental drug, goes berserk during an important meeting, the company boss (David Oyelowo) orders all of the lab animals put down and demands that Will start researching again, but when a hidden newborn chimp is found, Will reluctantly takes him home. Will's father (John Lithgow), who suffers from Alzheimer's, is instantly taken with the baby chimp, and soon Will realizes that "Caesar" has a higher IQ because of his in-utero exposure to the miracle drug. For eight years, Will gives his father smuggled doses of the drug, and they live with Caesar, who's now a precocious adolescent (and played, in a motion-capture performance, by Andy Serkis). After Caesar defends his family and bites a neighbor, Will is forced to surrender him to a primate shelter. Faced with his own kind for the first time, Caesar climbs the social ladder and eventually leads a climactic bid for freedom.
Is it any good?
Although some of its plot elements are similar to the fourth Planet of the Apes film, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, this reimagining doesn't feature time travel or the widespread domestication of apes. The story is simple and, in this highly medicated culture, surprisingly easy to conceive: Medical experiments that alter animal development aren't a fantasy, they're reality. RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES is equal parts family drama and sci-fi-lite action, and the poignant, complicated relationship between Will, his ailing-then-improved father, and their beloved Caesar is a bona fide tearjerker in a couple of scenes. This is owed completely to the three actors: Franco, Lithgow, and Serkis, who deserves an Academy Award for his mastery of nuanced motion-capture performances.
The trio of main actors, with help from Oyelowo, who's perfectly smarmy as the profit-driven CEO, and Freida Pinto, who's a distractingly beautiful veterinarian, propels the film above the forgettable dross of raunchy comedies and formulaic remakes that fill theaters. And since they're known to chew up scenery, special mention must be made of Brian Cox and Tom Felton, both of whom are fabulous as an ambivalent primate-shelter owner and his sneering, sadistic bully of a son (Harry Potter fans may feel compelled to yell "Draco Malfoy!" at the screen). Despite all of the fine performances, there are still a few missteps or unintentionally laughable moments -- like when the greedy businessman assumes that the apes will offer him mercy -- but overall this is an entertaining, well-acted origin story. The best part is that, unlike so many "first in a planned series" installments, this one feels complete at the end, with the final image and end credits alluding to how the apes finally rise to inherit the earth.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the ongoing popularity of remaking classic older films. What are some series that have outdone their predecessors? Which originals should never have been reimagined?
How does the violence in this movie compare to other action/sci-fi movies you've seen? Does the fact that it involves animals give it more or less impact?
Animals are usually depicted as our friends, but what do the apes want -- to rule the world, or just to be free from cages? How does the filmmaker portray Caesar and Will's relationship? Is Caesar a pet, a child, or something in between?
For those familiar with the Planet of the Apes series, how does this compare to the original storyline? Do the changes make sense, considering technological developments since the '70s? Do you think there should be more?
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AGE
Timely movie with nice homage to its movie-lineage.
I enjoyed it; I thought it tied in nicely w/ the original "Apes" movies, while showing a slightly more plausible origin how those could come to be. The heartbreak caused by losing a loved one to Alzheimer's was palatable as was the lengths one might go to trying to help them. The lead character tried to do the right thing, both for humanity & his ape-subjects particularly Casear, but of course you know if can't end well for everyone. Andy Serkis (of LotR Gollum fame) once again makes you forget you're seeing a CGI-enhanced being on the screen.
No nudity, language was appro for a PG13 & viewer of age 12+, but the themes may not click for them that young. Shades of morality have always been part of this franchise, and "Rise" continues it - and is much more obvious about it.
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AGE
Multi-faceted, Multi-dimensional
There are definitely positive messages in this movie involving human hubris, arrogance, oppression, fair treatment, and consequences to actions. I would recommend, but make sure to explain to children that it is NOT real and that like real people, no character is all good or all bad.
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AGE
Planet of the Apes = Fresh reboot
For a summer movie, this movie was probably one of the best ones this year. Overall, this movies is good. People of all ages will like it. The CG is somewhat cartoonish, but the story will make you quickly forget it. I have never seen any of the original planet of the apes, but after seeing this one, it motivates me to watch them. But while this movie is good, it's just not completely great. But that is my opinion, I'm sure many others will like this movie a lot. I enjoyed it, but probably the main reason I didn't FULLY like it, was probably because at one point I found myself somewhat bored. While the monkey's part of the story was really entertaining (and emotional) the human parts can be kind of bland and sometimes boring. Even though the movie stars James Franco, most people will be focusing on the ape parts story. Face it: the spot light is stolen by the monkey. So this movie is highly worth it. I just want to add something: if your looking for a movie that is full of action like many other summer movies, you might want to look somewhere else. While there are sequences of action, there's a lot of pauses in between them. Although I did not find this film great, I found it worthwhile. And I'm sure most other people will too.
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Kid, 12 years old
August 13, 2011
AGE
Good movie for ape fans and families!
This is a movie about test subject apes who become very smart and overthrow the humans. The main character is a good role model. There is some mild language and some blood.
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AGE
A pleasant surprise of the summer!
Seeing the trailer in theaters, I thought "Oh jeez, another fx driven crap-fest like I heard 'Transformers 3' was" but seeing it in the theaters really changed my mind! It's thoughtful, got a solid script, and the special effects are mind-blowing! All those apes are CG! How is it done?!?! My only complaint is the human characters are a little 2-dimensional, I wish their stories would've been told more. They're mostly just their to show why apes hate the human race and want to take over.
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AGE
Looks Great, previous was amazing
The one before this was so amazing cant wait to see this one
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AGE
I've never watched...
I've never watched any of the previous Planet Apes movies, but I can freely say that this was the best movie that I've ever seen that belongs in that animals attacking humans/ becoming like humans category. The movie had a good amount of violence and suspense also. I don't normally watch movies twice, but I would watch this again. It is also something I would recommend it to everybody.
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AGE
Best Movie
This is, by far, my favorite movie... period. This movie has a great moral and has a pretty happy ending. Although, there is some animal cruelty which is quite disturbing, but without it, the movie wouldn't have the strong emotion and feeling it gave to me.
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AGE
13 and up.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a good science fiction movie good for your young teens and parents the only thing you need to worry about in this movie is the animal violence in this movie and some mild language used the role model is that Will is a hardworking visionary who wants to help cure diseases at work and comes home to take care of his ill father. He's not perfect, but he's disciplined, kind, and intelligent. Caesar himself is more "human" than some of the human characters. He's thoughtful, generous, and thinks everything through strategically. He only uses violence when threatened as opposed to for sport.
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AGE
Great summer movie!
This is a great movie! It was very entertaining! The plot was good, the acting was great, and the special effects were the best! Some violence and mild language, but nothing really bad. Thought-provoking, funny, and charming, this is one of the best movies of the summer!
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| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Director: | Rupert Wyatt |
| Cast: | Andrew Serkis, Freida Pinto, James Franco, Tom Felton |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 105 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 5, 2011 |
| DVD release date: | December 13, 2011 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense and frightening sequences of action and violence |
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