Dawn picks up ten years after the first movie in this continuation of the apes saga. An effective recap shows the aftermath of Rise of the Planet of the Apes; the “Simian flu” which came about as a result of ALZ-112, the drug that imbued Caesar (Andy Serkis) and the other primates with heightened intelligence, continued its devastation of the human population. After two years with no human sighting, an ape patrol stumbles across a group in the woods near their settlement on the outskirts of San Francisco. A gun is fired. An ape is injured. And Caesar orders the humans to leave. Following them to their settlement in the city, a show of force is made, warning the humans to stay on their side of the bridge. However, it seems the humans are in dire need of restarting a power station at a dam located within Ape territory. Startled by the ability of the apes to speak and coordinate, one of the human leaders, Malcolm (Jason Clarke), decides to try and negotiate for access while another leader, Dreyfus (Gary Oldman), prepares for a potential conflict. The small band returns and attempts to convince Caesar to allow them to access the dam, and soon, apes and humans are working together. Koba, one of the survivors of the first movie and most distrustful of the humans after prolonged experimentation and torture, is the loudest voice of dissent about assisting the humans. Fear and distrust on both sides send them towards an all out conflict while Caesar and Malcolm strive to build trust and avert war.
Conflict — it is one of the most persistent attributes of human society. The inability to find common ground is an ongoing issue between neighbors across the world. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes circles around this theme with aplomb. We learn in the ten years since Rise that Caesar has been trying to lead and mold a society. An exceptional opening sequence showing the apes hunting together reveals the coordination and intelligence that has permeated their culture. This entire first act is ape-centric, as sign language and accompanying subtitles immerse you into their world. It is a brave move to place the opening of the film in the paws (sorry/not sorry) of the apes rather than the hands of the humans. When humans do finally appear they feel very much the interlopers.
Caesar has become something of an idealist, “ape shall not kill ape” being one of the defining credos he has instilled. But the best intentions are often smashed by the acts of the few. Koba, right hand ape of Caesar, returns from the first film, still carrying the scars (physical and psychological) of his experimentation and torture at the hands of humans and the distrust that goes with it. Idealism is countered not by villainy, but by a different and very understandable perspective, driven by history and personal loss. Tribal conflict and historical clashes will be obvious to viewers. When Caesar, himself, realizes how universal these struggles are, it is ultimately too late.
Some may say the film has an anti-gun message (I wouldn’t say so, but Charlton Heston would probably have walked out during one scene) but really it is a commentary on the futility and destructive nature of war and aggression. Another facet of the film and one I took more solace in, is the idea that cooperation and trust is a stronger force than hate and violence. One of the defining codes of ape society is “Apes together strong”. More is built and achieved in the film when trust and cooperation are embraced. This is the take home message and the ethos Caesar strives to bring to the fore throughout.
Director Matt Reeves excels in his handling of both the quieter moments as well as the action, in particular an epic tracking shot following a tank turret in the final balls out action sequence is utterly breathtaking. But it is in the more poignant and downbeat moments, perhaps synonymous with the Apes franchise, that give the film a weight and conscience not normally found in a movie of this type. Apes firing machine guns on horseback could come across as hilarious, but the darker tone Reeves imbues the film with makes these images disturbing and terrifying. Michael Giacchino’s score deserves applause with hints of the ’68 original and more modern rousing pieces that perfectly complement the scale of what Reeves is showing on screen.
Again, Andy Serkis steals the show. He really shows the inner conflict of an ape raised by humans and how he is torn between them and his own kind. Caesar’s realization there are good men just as there are bad apes is heartbreaking; it’s a truly regal performance. His Caesar is an incredible creation, married with some of the most outstanding special effects work I have seen. These are fully realized personalities. A film where CGI characters are more developed and real than actual humans in other films, an astonishing feat. Actors and animators combine to incredible effect. Toby Kebbell gives Koba an incredible range of anger and hurt. This wounded creature is a counter to Caesar. All he knows is pain from humans, in contrast to Caesar, who knows the good in them. A standout scene being where Koba impersonates a simple ape to steal some guns. Funny but you sense a chilling malice, knowing what is going to happen. Likewise Karin Konoval is great as the wise and thoughtful orangutan Maurice, probably my favorite character in the film. These performances not only rival the work of Andy Serkis, but no doubt improve it too. It is time for a real change in how mo-cap work is recognized as a legitimate performance and is ultimately considered for awards.
While my thoughts on the film are overwhelmingly positive, in retrospect there are a few issues, notably on the human side of things. Dawn gives us pretty standard human characters even in the face of some very notable talent. Jason Clarke does well, largely because of shared time and a developed relationship with Caesar, Kodi Smit-McPhee has a brief touching moment with Maurice while Kirk Acevedo’s Carver fills in the bigoted asshole pretty well. It is only Keri Russell’s Ellie that you feel real emotion towards, largely because they reveal she lost a daughter to the simian flu rather than any real writing effort. Perhaps this is intentional, glossing over the human contingent to emphasize the apes. This is becoming their planet, the focus should be on them rather than the human remnant. But still, a little more time fleshing out the human characters would have been welcome. Even on the ape side some side relationships are not developed too well, that of Caesar and his family in particular. Considering Judy Greer was cast as his wife (Cornelia) but didn’t really get much to do suggests there is something was left on a cutting room floor. These losses perhaps make sense. Such additions would have weighted the film even more towards the apes, exacerbated the lack of human development, and taken focus away from the main thrust of the film.
Pacing wise, the film takes a stumble towards the end. Just prior to the final act it feels as though the film is about to come to a finish, possibly on a cliffhanger, but then picks itself up and gives a pretty epic finale that could perhaps have been a sequel unto itself. This was a view shared by others I spoke to, perhaps repeat viewing would clarify my feelings, but the issue was drowned out by a gripping final sequence.
The summer is usually a time when a big budget often means mindless action; we get style over substance. Dawn of th Planet of the Apes is that rare beast that offers both. Throughout it shows reverence to the old films and builds up something new, fresh, and even more epic. In fact it succeeds not only in being an entertaining movie in its own right but one that actually enriches its predecessor and the original series. It’s visually stunning with an engrossing story to match. A thought provoking treat for the summer season and a testament to how good science-fiction can be.
