Great mix of action and science fiction, lacking character development.

Rating: 7/10 (5 August 2011)

I just got back from the theater and I was pleasantly surprised about how good the film was.
CHARACTERS AND ACTING: In all honesty, the worst part of the film is the characters. Franco's role comes off as an unlikable pet freak and his girlfriend is completely useless. I really wish Franco would do better, especially coming off his performance in 127 Hours. The acting was average, but coming into this film expecting to see Nicholsonesque acting wouldn't be a smart mindset.
DIALOGUE: The dialogue fits the characters well. Except 3-4 lines in the movie are come off as extremely cheesy. "You stupid monkey!". The last line of the film is the worst. The famous "damned dirty ape" line is awful coming from a feminine, asshole character. They have ruined the legacy of the quote.
PLOT: Excellent idea for a prequel to the Planet of the Apes. I don't want to give out too much, but it works well.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: Wow, the CGI apes were great, and I hate CGI with a fiery passion. This is definitely the current front runner for the Best Visual Effects Academy Award. The film is also edited magnificently.
The last 30-40 minutes is filled with heart pounding action. Seriously, it's like watching your inner rage spill on to the screen after you find out your whore wife cheats on you, except with chimpanzees. The film should have ended about 5-10 minutes sooner. It dragged on a bit, but it's nothing too bad.