A blockbuster with a heart and intelligence?! Did somebody spike my popcorn?!

Rating: 8/10 (25 April 2019)

Apes are fascinating creatures. At some point, I think we've all wondered what life would have been like had we not come along. A planet governed by apes. Actually, some would argue that's the case already, given the chaotic management style of certain world leaders, but that's besides the point.
A key factor in the success of this reboot of the 'Apes' franchise is it's willingness to tap into this mentality; evoking relatable fear and uncertainty of such a scenario. Plus it's amazing what a good script can do. Seriously, compare this to Jurassic World or the Fast and Furious films. It's like seeing Renee Zellweger before and after. As for those Avengers films ... I'm still not convinced Robert Downey Jr. didn't write those himself back during his tenure in the Betty Ford Clinic.
Yes, this is another humans v animals showdown. And, yes, inevitably you will find yourselves rooting against your genetic brethren. But it's the way in which the story is told that isolates this feature from all the brainless clones that saturate this particular market.
The acting is pretty decent for a blockbuster too. This is as good as I've seen James Franco since '127 hours' and David Oyelowo is almost worryingly convincing as a financially-obsessed businessman. If they ever do a live action remake of 'Spongebob Squarepants', they won't even need to bother with auditions for the part of Mr Krabs.
The trilogy that followed 'Rise' never quite matched it's emotional punch, but still represents a BFG-size step forward from the utter abomination that was the 2001 Planet of the Apes film. People seem to have fortunately forgotten about that, though, no doubt thanks to the round-the-clock efforts of Mark Wahlberg's PR team.
I don't think people have forgotten about this one. Solid 8/10.