It’s an understatement to say that CGI technology has revolutionized the way we watch movies. When visual effects are working at their best, they fade into the background, allowing the viewer to drop into the movie experience rather than merely marveling at the spectacle. Such is the case with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and while many might question the need for another film in the series, this is the best example of the year of how visual effects make a movie great.
It’s easy for us to forget that the original Planet of the Apes was equally impressive in its use of makeup. Audiences in 1968 were amazed by the level of “realism” achieved by rubber masks and prosthetics. The modern equivalent is achieved by layering computer imagery over top of actor Andy Serkis, who has done similar work as 2005’s King Kong, and as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Serkis is absolutely brilliant here as Caesar, a chimpanzee whose intelligence is inadvertently boosted by genetic researchers working on a drug treatment for brain disorders. The combination of performance and technology is seamless and completely believable.
Rescued from the lab by Will Rodman (James Franco), the lead scientist on the project, Caesar is raised in secret in Rodman’s attic. But Rodman knows little about apes, and is too wrapped up in trying to cure the Alzheimer’s disease of his ailing father (John Lithgow) to notice the effect of captivity on Caesar’s emotions. A violent encounter with a cruel neighbour lands Caesar in the hands of Animal Control, and he’s locked into a holding facility for discarded apes, where cruelty by his handlers eventually drives him to revolt. These, along with major missteps by the science team, are the first events in the eventual role reversal of humans and apes.
The actors here are all adequate. This is after all a story about human cluelessness, and so even a flat performance like Franco’s just makes the animal characters look better. It’s really the apes that are the stars here anyway, and director Rupert Wyatt draws us in to their story. The lessons Caesar learns are made very clear, and it’s fascinating to watch how his burgeoning intellect reacts to each one. The movie’s final battle between man and ape is really more of a skirmish, but it’s in keeping with the story and motives of Caesar and his comrades.
The only real issue here is the relevance of the movie to audiences other than fanboys and film nerds. It’s full of references to the original – someone even gets to repeat Charlton Heston’s famous “damn dirty ape” line – but to the uninitiated they will just seem clunky and artificial. And today’s quick-to-judge youth, now clued in to this saga, will likely shun the earlier films nonetheless – those old rubber masks will just seem cheesy to them.
Time and box office receipts will tell whether this movie gives new life to the franchise. In the meantime, everyone who sees Rise of the Planet of the Apes will be awed by its simian stars.
Tags: movie review
About the author: David Raitt
David Raitt is a writer and lover of pop culture. He lives in Oakville. He has also worked as an actor for The Second City, and has written, produced and performed his own sketch comedy, including the Canadian Comedy Award-nominated ALL THE RAGE. Semi-retired from performing, he still teaches improv and communications skills to students and corporate groups through his association with The Second City. Check out Dave's website at http://davidraitt.com
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