Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Rupert Wyatt, 2011)

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is easily one of the best prequels in movie history, but let’s compare it to something more worthy. This, in my opinion, is almost equal to the original Planet of the Apes movie. It enhances the viewing of the original Planet of the Apes as well.

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an origin story, the making of a great leader, and it is told in a way we don’t often see. Able Gance’s Napoleon might be a comparable story, though sadly that does not take us into Napoleon’s adult career.

Caesar, an young ape soon worthy of the name, is taken home by Will Rodman, played by James Franco, after an experiment at the lab goes wrong and the apes are put to sleep. The experiment tests a regenerative substance to help the brain repair itself on the apes. At first the story follows the banal father son story of Will Rodman’s desire to save his own father, played by John Lithgow, from Alzheimer’s disease. While Will treats his father, Caesar becomes part of the family. And it is not until Caesar becomes a teenager that the family dynamic changes. As a growing ape, Caesar needs room to play, so Will takes him to a park, though still keeps him on a leash. Caesar walks past a couple walking their dog and begins to resent being treated like a common dog. And from here, Caesar evolves on his own.

Caesar becomes observant, quiet, thoughtful. And after an incident with a human, he is separated from Will, locked away in an animal shelter where he learns how apes are really treated. Caesar is more than an intelligent ape. He is a bold leader. He takes risks to gain power and respect of his fellow apes. And he leads them into a necessary rebellion.

In no other movie have humans so innocently brought on their own destruction. With the best intentions, Will Rodman empowers apes with human intelligence which quickly grows out of his control. Not only that, the regenerative disease mutates into a deadly virus that humans can’t tolerate. And thus, unsuspecting humans naively destroy all that was once humanity, leaving earth to the newly created race of highly intelligent apes. And the father of a new race, Will Rodman, ultimately destroys his own people.

Will is so human. He tries his hardest to save his dying father and to be the father to Caesar that Caesar never had. He is kind, loving, and the best a father can be. But this movie is about a son exceeding his father and growing into a leader. There is a point where Will tells Caesar to come home where he can take care of him. Caesar sadly looks at his father and speaks in Will’s own language that Caesar is home. Will has nothing left to offer his son and the son no longer needs a father.

The special effects in this movie are excellent but the best part is the performance by Andy Serkis, who plays the leading role of Caesar. This is the best bit of acting I have seen in a performance capture. His acting carries the movie, though the plot is excellent. I highly recommend this movie.