Surprise of the summer....

Rating: Null/10 (7 August 2011)

Having been less than enthralled with the ad campaign Fox has presented for this new film in this long-running saga, my expectations were set really low and it was more out of curiosity rather than desire to see this. The ads painted this up like another over-active CG fest with huge scenes of Apes running amok...no real indication of what the story is or if there was any more than the action.
I'm delighted to say that my expectations were blown away and than some. This is one of the most well-written scripts for this genre of movie in a long time. It is directed with a great balance of energy and character with many great moments that require no heavy dialogue to propel the story. The last act features plenty of the action shown in the trailers, but the ape's motivations for theses scenes is a wonderful surprise.
There is plenty of attention paid to previous entries of the saga, while still being a great stand-alone picture...that's not to say groundwork isn't laid for more...it is.
The special effects here are truly stellar...totally here to service the characters and the story. The main character, a chimp named Caesar, is allowed to develop with the nuances and moment that wouldn't work without the stunning collaboration of Serkis and WETA (the actor and the special effects crew).
If you're a fan of the "Apes" saga, prepare to be blown away and to spend lots of time recounting the movie and wondering what'll happen next. Be sure and sit still when the credits roll...there's a great coda that not only answers some questions, but sets the stage quite well...
Great movie!