Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes does what a sequel should do, and that is build on and improve upon its predecessor. Almost every aspect of this movie is fantastic; the action is spectacular, the CGI/Motion Capture is among the best effects of the year, the character of Caesar is hard not to root for, and the plot moves along at a steady pace. The morals and messages this movie explores are relevant in today's society, and the film's social commentary exists within the story without beating you over the head with the message (are you listening Elysium? ) I was emotionally invested in the characters (primarily Caesar) and the story as the movie demonstrates a level of dramatic tension that is uncommon in big blockbusters. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes does not slow down two thirds of the way through, as many films do. In fact, my favorite scenes are part of the finale of the second act, as that is where the emotional level peaks. The final act is mostly action driven, however the action itself is well directed and backed up by superb effects. Anyone can find a negative in a movie, and while the negatives present in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes do not sink the film, they do not hold it back in any significant way. But since I mentioned negatives, the human characters are for the most part, underdeveloped. The filmmakers set up who they are and the role they play, but rarely dig deeper. It is the apes who are the refined characters, and so you care about the apes, but won't feel the same way about most of the humans. An emotional investment in the humans would have created even more tension in the film. The other flaw is that this film has a hard time standing on its own. While obviously part of a series, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes relies too much on its predecessor and inevitable sequels to begin and finish its story. But, back to my earlier point... while the film does have its weaknesses, the positives clearly outweigh any and all negatives. To anyone who has seen, and enjoyed 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes, you should definitely check out this one. It is one of my favorite films of the year.