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Arts & Entertainment

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Swings and Misses

The franchise reboot plays with the timeline and suffers from a lackluster lead character, but it least it has a sense of humor.

There is little need to revisit the original Planet of the Apes films in preparation for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which opens today everywhere. This is because Rise of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Rupert Wyatt, takes liberties with the entire timeline of the film series (as you can see in the handy-dandy graphic in our photo section), so there’s no use in even trying to connect the dots. Although, this newest addition to the series isn’t shy about borrowing a whole lot of iconic imagery and lines from the original.

Reboots and re-imaginings are sadly the modus operandi of Hollywood, and not even the trendsetting 1968 sci-fi franchise is safe (as we saw in 2001 with Tim Burton’s abysmal remake). At least Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an anthropomorphic overload of a film with a sense of humor.

We follow intelligent chimpanzee Caesar through his accelerated evolution from cute primate in diapers to hairy Che Guevara. James Franco stars as Will, Caesar’s accidental creator. Will is a brilliant, but cold pharmaceutical scientist who, instead of finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, starts the cataclysmic extinction of man.

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After his breakthrough treatment for Alzheimer’s turns out to have some catastrophic side effects, Will struggles to perfect the drug amidst corporate pressure. On the homefront, Will not only cares for his ailing father, Charles (John Lithgow), but secretly raises newly-orphaned Caesar (motion-capture performance by Andy Serkis) after his mother is killed at Will’s lab. 

Caesar advances well beyond his young age due to drugs his mother was exposed to, drugs that might offer hope to Will’s mentally declining father. Caesar enjoys an idyllic, if lonely, suburban family home. He spends a lot of his time staring out his attic room window. Will, Charles and Will’s girlfriend Caroline (Freida Pinto), who happens to be a primatologist, make up Caesar’s family.

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But things rarely end well when chimpanzees reach a certain age and are living with people, even though Caesar knows sign language and clearly shops at The Gap. 

It’s only when Caesar is finally separated from his human family and sent to live with the other primates in captivity that he is forced to reconcile his very existence. And that’s when things really start to get ridiculous.

This big-budget “B” movie is grotesquely sentimental, but has its genuine moments. Weta’s (Lord of the Rings, Avatar) digital magic brings these Great Ape faces to life, which is a welcome distraction from the pitiful dialogue and laughably over-the-top plot devices.

Brilliantly explosive with an unabashed earnestness, Rise of the Planet of the Apes rejoices in mediocrity and formula while tapping into something primal and overtly allegorical. Not bad for a movie co-starring a digital chimp in pants and red sweater. The film is idiotic, but deliciously so. 

Pinto and Franco are about as appealing together as the monkey house on a really hot day. You just sort of breathe through your mouth and get on with it for education’s sake. Pinto’s purpose in the film is to point out when Franco’s being a total jerk, but for a really smart science guy, Will is pretty thick. And they share what might be the lamest “kiss in the heat of battle” in movie history.

Lithgow’s part is small, but much appreciated. David Oyelowo, as the corporate bad guy, is doing his best with very little to work with. Brian Cox (the Bourne movies and X2) has a small role as the owner of a depressing chimp “sanctuary” and exudes his signature creepiness. Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films), in keeping with his proclivity for playing the bad boy, is a natural as a cruel caregiver at the ape sanctuary.

The real stars of this film aren’t corporeal. The story could have been told entirely from the Caesar and his fellow apes’ point of view. Seeing so much through the boring character of Will just shows that risk-taking is not the focus of summer blockbusters. Also, math isn’t the blockbuster’s strong point. These apes seem to multiply at random times.

Serkis’ Caesar is disarming and nuanced—a performance that is the result of a collaboration of many artists and technicians. His pantomime, as well the dozens of other motion-capture performers, is so effective. I wish the humans in the film had mostly kept their mouths shut ,too.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an inelegant illustration of man’s hubris smashed up with our complex relationship with our often exploited cousins. This woefully mediocre movie reminds us that chimps are also violent and calculating (even when they’re not exposed to experimental drugs), which reflects humans at our most elemental when survival is at stake. 

While the movie basically sabotages itself with lazy writing and a groan-inducing major plot point, it’s amusing, thought-provoking and has a scene where a gorilla takes out a helicopter over the Golden Gate Bridge. I’m just glad no real primates were hurt (or even used) in the making of this hit-and-miss flick.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is now playing at:

For more of Megan Carr’s movie reviews and media musings, visit her website at therestiscreamcheese.com.

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