Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
2011
****½
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Cast: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo, Andy Serkis, Tyler Labine, Jamie Harris, David Hewlett

Rupert Wyatt's franchise reboot erases the memory of Tim Burton's dismal 2001 remake of the original Planet of the Apes. This wonderfully entertaining action drama tells a smart and gripping origin story, which is loosely based on Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972). James Franco plays a scientist who is desperate to find a cure to Alzheimer's in order to heal his own father. When the research is terminated, he adopts a very special baby chimp and names it Caesar. The film's human characters may not be fully three-dimensional, but Caesar's development from a highly intelligent and deeply conflicted primate to a key figure in the future uprising seems organic and thoroughly believable. His story even draws some uncanny parallels to Nim Chimpsky, whose life is chronicled in the documentary Project Nim. Andy Serkis, who helped to bring Gollum and King Kong to life, gives another nuanced motion capture performance as Caesar. Followed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.