The loved, original Planet of the Apes did not need a “reboot.” But it got one, by way of a prequel starring James Franco. And just because it didn’t need one, doesn’t mean it’s not welcome.
Franco plays a scientist named Will, who is testing a cure for Alzheimer’s on chimpanzees. One day, though, a female ape “attacks” and is put down. Will is forced to adopt her baby chimp that no one knew existed is found. But Caesar, as they call him, is far smarter than anyone expected. He can complete puzzles and play chess better than humans of double his own age, and is particularly friendly with Franco’s senile father, portrayed well by John Lithgow.
Will starts bringing home the medicine he used to test on Caesar’s mother; the medicine blamed for making her go wild, and the same medicine that made Caesar so intelligent. He gives it to his father, and he not only recovers his memory and talents, but improves. (Freida Pinto is thrown into the mix here, and she is used poorly.) But just when things are looking up for the “family,” a misunderstanding causes Caesar to harm a neighbor. He is sent to a shelter for rogue apes, where they end up “rising.”
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a fun movie that has a solid plot (for the most part) and stunning CGI. Its references to the 1968 Charlton Heston picture are done smoothly. But near the end, this movie loses steam. Early on, it develops a message about hate and violence, showing the domino effect it has on these two species; and it works well. It is undermined, however, by the ending. The movie tries to turn Caesar into a hero, when in actuality, this movie has no hero. Both the humans and the apes do horrible things, and the well-meaning, albeit neutered Will is caught in the middle.
We know why the apes do bad things: because humans did bad things to them. But we’re unsure why certain characters are evil, specifically “Jacobs” and Tom Felton’s character. Not only that, but Franco isn’t given enough to do. His character clearly isn’t the main character, because he is dominated by a much more emotional Caesar. Will just disappears at times, too. Where is he?
The film wasn’t bad; in fact it’s solid summer entertainment. But it should have been better.
