Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a superbly delivered movie. If it wasn’t for the fact that I know apes can’t talk, I would’ve assumed that Hollywood strolled over to the Ape Actors Guild and hired a few hundred simian extras. They can’t talk, right? Nevertheless, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in a surprisingly effective movie. At one point, I noticed the musical score, which was very good, as it helped drive home the emotions of both species when appropriate plot-tension and close-ups were warranted. And, in that light, the technical advancement necessary in this computer-generated movie has obviously reached a superb level. The movie, which was driven largely by something as simple as simian facial expressions, did not disappoint. At times they seem more human than their human counterparts, especially when Caesar, the simian leader, seemed not only wise but more morally aware than many of the homo sapiens.
We know the basic plot. A virus had wiped out most of the human population and in the process, it also genetically altered the apes so that they were highly intelligent and most seemed capable of speech. After the collapse of the world economy where one in 500 humans survived, people and apes eventually clashed. Though there is a sincere effort to avoid war between the two species, the inevitable manifestation of the carnal natures of both brought conflict to its inevitable manifestation.
If you see the movie, you’ll experience a host of emotions, you’ll be thoroughly impressed with the special effects, and, well, you won’t be disappointed. Go see it.
