Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an interesting spin in the series. The film is driven more by the development of the apes and the storyline than the acting, which is often hokey and ham-handed. This film is not for everyone; it is best when it relies on the audience’s knowledge and appreciation of the previous films.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a prequel to the 2001 relaunch of the 1968 film Planet of the Apes. The film does a good job of weaving elements from its predecessors into the new film. There are some great references to the original films. Will Rodman (James Franco) names one of the first test chimpanzees Brighteyes. Brighteyes is the name given to George Taylor (Charlton Heston) by Dr. Zira in the 1968 film. Those waiting for the iconic line, “Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!” will not be disappointed. But there are also are some more subtle allusions to the original films: the weapons, learning language, drawing images, etc. The film parallels the original movie, often placing the human element in the original with the apes in this film and vice-a-versa. The end result is a rather fascinating mirroring of the original. We also get some foreshadowing of the 2001 relaunch with news stories about Leo Davidson’s (Mark Wahlberg) Mars trip.
The actors are a real low point in the film. James Franco is surprisingly stiff. John Lithgow is not compelling at all as Franco’s Alzheimer’s afflicted father. (Richard Jenkins does a far more admirable job of depicting someone suffering from Alzheimer’s in Friends with Benefits.) The supporting roles are pretty bad. The employees at the chimp sanctuary are laughable (not in a good way).
Despite the questionable acting, the other elements of the film make it successful.
Andy Serkis, the actor behind Caesar, really makes the film. He along with the fine folks at WETA Digital in New Zealand and the other actors playing the various apes, bring the story together. (Some rather tasty insight came courtesy of NPR’s Here and Now.) The film really captures the development of Caesar, often without words. His reactions to his environment and the growth of the character are wonderful. There is one scene in particular, where Caesar sees a dog and wonders about his own status as a “pet,” that really works. As he approaches the car he rejects his position in the trunk, favoring the backseat. His hesitance and introspection make Caesar compelling. Similar scenes add a dimension previously unexplored in the other films.
The movie also alludes to the development of the ape hierarchy (somewhat Platonic roles). The orangutans are shown with a natural intelligence that suits them for their role as scientists. The gorillas are natural guardians. The chimpanzees are leaders.
Rise, travels in the path of previous creature features. Creature features are often defined by an underlying warning about human actions. The horrors of toxic dumping. The potential problems with radiation. The catastrophe of nuclear war.
Here we are confronted with the potential problems with gene therapy. Now, yes, the possibility of super intelligent chimpanzees developing from gene therapy is science fiction or at the very least extremely far-fetched. But, nonetheless, the use of a virus as a method of transmitting genetic therapy is scientific fact.
The film raises some interesting questions about the possibility of scientific discoveries having unintended consequences and taking heed of the cautionary principle. After all, the scientist, Will Rodman, warns against moving forward too quickly, when the corporation demands that research yield to profits. But, in this respect, the film fails to capture a significant dilemma in the scientific community, that the scientist is amoral. Scientists must be aware of the potential other uses of the technology they develop. We cannot blame Oppenheimer for dropping the bomb, but he certainly was aware of the potential of the technology and must be accountable for his role.
The film also raises another serious question: what is the distinction between therapy and enhancement? At first, they test Alz-112 on chimpanzees as a means to cure Alzheimer’s; but, as they discover that it can increase intelligence, the corporation wants to pursue enhancement. I find these issues fascinating. Rise, does not handle all of these issues with care, but that is pretty impossible in a mere two-hours. If you are interested, there are places to explore these issues.
Some of the scientific elements are a little oddly handled. If Caesar is developing intellectually, why does he not have the language capacity of a similarly aged person?
The issues that ruminate throughout the film, captivated me. Sure, some of the stuff was farcical. Indeed, it was a little heavy-handed in its message that we should not mess with nature (it is no coincidence that Caesar finds his first natural experience in Muir Woods National Monument, named after Sierra Club co-founder John Muir).
At the end of the day, Rise is stimulating, clever, and true to its origins. Not perfect, but a good film.
PARSI VERDICT: An enjoyable film with a bit of intrigue, despite a little monkeying around.
See what the other half thinks: Haus’s view.
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