Review: Film

The Rise of Planet of the Apes, Odeon Putney dir Rupert Wyatt, Andrew Serkis, Frieda Pinto, James Franco

Impressive. Great special effects. An experiment to cure Alzheimer’s, amongst other things, leads to the creation of a super-race of apes. A battle for supremacy is slugged out on the San Francisco bridge, beyond which lies the Redwood forest. The film is about good intentions but altruism when not considered objectively, scientifically, can lead to devastating consequences. The Rise of Planet of the Apes is a formula film but it’s very good of its kind, largely due to a talented creative team that was behind Avatar and Lord of the rings, snappy, stylish direction by Rupert Wyatt, with a winning performance by Andrew Serkis as Ceasar. The film is also about intelligence, what it means to be civilised, and who has the right to decide what these things are. In the jungle it is physical supremacy that rules. In captivity subjugation is by other external means, the gun, the syringe, the compound. Great moments of light and shade: the gesture of a stroked palm, in seeking permission, by Ceasar is juxtaposed with the humans’ focus, I’m just interested in making money…..good story-making…..