A movie with a story, plot and fleshed out characters, who would have believed it?

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2012)

I think this rates right up there with the one of the best films I saw in 2011. I certainly wasn't expecting to find a sci-fi remake/prequel with this level of intelligence, care and entertainment. I was expecting perhaps 20 minutes of explanation and then an hour of apes go bonkers in down town LA.
Instead we witness what surely should be an Oscar winning performance from Andy Serkis, yet again demonstrating his stunning physical acting prowess. We get a very well laid out plot and excellent character and relationship development. Something that is seriously lacking in perhaps the vast majority of movies I've sadly watched in the past few years.
A real testament to this film is from my wife, who hates this type of thing, who also believes it's one of the best films she's seen in a long time. A big opposable thumbs up for this one.