Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Slow and consistent.  The movie starts and ends slow.  The “characters” are well animated and developed from start to finish.  Fans insist the film it true to character and exactly what they were looking to see. 

If you are expecting something from James Franco, he ruins the human element of the film.  They could have put some other star in his place (ie, Mark Hamil or Hayden Christensen) and the role would have been equally as disappointing.  The reason viewers can relate to the apes in this film is that the human actors and elements were so unlikeable.  Apes were great, actors were miserable. 

The animation, you ask? Well done.  The CGI was done on the apes from beginning to end and allows the consistency and continuity we did not get in recent films like “Popper’s Penguins” and others.  The kids at the movie had no idea the apes were animated, which is fantastic.  The adults see the development of the apes and the growth of Caesar (lead ape/chimp) in particular and can appreciate the timespan of the setting and the movie.  It is set in San Mateo/San Francisco/Marin County and that local element also helps with appreciation of the film.  If only a hippie had helped the apes cause a gas line explosion during an earthquake while on the Caltrain could we have had a closer connection…too much, too soon?

The Apes are rising to the top through genetic testing and medications using Alzheimer’s as a backdrop.  The animal abuse and recent chimpanzee attacks are brought to light and depicted in this 105 minute, PG-13, sci-fi saga.  Those who enjoy the other Planet of the Apes movies will clearly enjoy this one.  Even those not wrapped up in the story over the past few decades should get something out of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”  We see the groundwork laid out for the next installment, but hopefully with a new lead human in Franco’s place.  This movie can only pull 3 out of 5 Cyclones, for Franco failed to evolve into anything worthy, and animated monkeys cannot sustain the full film. 

-CycloneMovies.com Critic