"Caesar's Serkis: A Symbol Against Oppression"

Rating: Null/10 (27 August 2011)

Director Rupert Wyatt ("The Escapist") proves there is always time for firsts by successfully producing a movie of epic proportions and creating the best "Planet of the Apes" film since the original. By taking a different and innovative route Wyatt has saved the once dying franchise making it better than ever. Wyatt generates a completely new origins story in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", however, Wyatt still needed one last thing; an actor that could flawlessly personify an ape's transformation. Consequently, Andy Serkis ("The Lord of the Rings") is Wyatt's ace and casting James Franco ("127 Hours") didn't hurt one bit. Will Rodman (Franco) is a scientist looking for a cure for his father, Charles (John Lithgow, Showtime's "Dexter"), whose Alzheimer's is progressing. To do so, Will gives a dose of his drug to a chimpanzee who shows heightened intelligence. However, when Will presents his findings, an event leads to the shutdown of his project. When told to kill a baby chimp found in the lab, he sneaks it home naming it Caesar (Serkis). Will secretly continues to perfect a cure for his father, while taking care of Caesar with the help of his father and animal doctor Caroline Aranha (Freida Pinto, "Slumdog Millionaire"), who almost immediately becomes Will's girl friend. Serkis inevitably steals the show as the film goes through a cycle of drama, action, and Armageddon. He allows Caesar to become more than just a symbol against animal oppression, he becomes a symbol of freedom.
The film has everything an apocalyptic movie needs. To start its plot may have a few minor holes, but the intense drama oriented storyline centered on humanity and personal development is enthralling. This build up culminates in the best action sequence of the year mixing amazing visual effects technology and the raw power of animals. With this being said, James Franco and John Lithgow are superb in their respective roles, but the acting does not stop there. Andy Serkis is the only person that could do the character of Caesar justice proving Serkis's genius and foreshadowing an Oscar nomination in the coming months.
The biggest issues in this film can be attributed to script writing and specifically dialogue. The screenplay has a couple of minor plot holes, but they do not detract much from the story. However, the dialogue is horridly juvenile in sequences and is even worse when actors like Tom Felton ("Harry Potter") are in the spotlight. Then there is the character of Caroline (Freida), whose existence in the film is pointless beyond helping Caesar at the beginning and dating Will. Why do films disregard casting beyond its stars? Ultimately, this is the best apocalypse film I have seen since "I Am Legend" and is a showcase to the future of acting. While Andy Serkis embodies Smeagol/Gollum, he is undistinguishable from Caesar making them one in the same.