A great and intelligent action film

Rating: 8/10 (24 August 2011)

As the film began I didn't have high expectations for the prequel to its classic 1968 counterpart. All that was to be expected was yet another Hollywood revival of a successful movie franchise with dazzling CGI and forgettable dialogue, a possible cash cow.
James Franco (127 hours) plays the role of a young, passionate scientist, working at an animal testing laboratory, experimenting with prime apes in the hope of a major scientific breakthrough. This occurs when he stumbles upon a chemical that increases the monkeys' ability to learn. However, later in the film we discover that's not all the chemical does!!!
Franco in my opinion has a tendency to overact sometimes, in this film there are several emotionally stirring scenes, but here he shows maturity in restraining himself and bringing a natural feel to his performance, neatly juggling his roles as a scientist, a young doting son and the surrogate father to Caesar. A deserved mention goes to Lithgow portraying an Alzheimer sufferer, living at home, bed-ridden, trying to patch together faded memories whilst Franco supports him, embroiled in despair as he sees his father deteriorate. This could have easily become very cheesy and clichéd, however Lithgow puts in a terrific turn, bringing a sense of solemnity and warmth to his character, far removed from his role as the manipulative and terrifying Trinity Killer from the TV series Dexter.
Also making an appearance is the young and beautiful Freida Pinto (SlumDog Millionaire) in a supporting role as the girlfriend of Franco. Even though it does feel somewhat tacked on it doesn't detract from the film's focus. Tom Felton (Harry Potter) plays the clichéd role as the horrid gorilla centre staff, reprising his role as the film baddie and sets up my favourite quote of the film.
Despite Franco's centrality to the film he is not the star of this show, Caesar; his close prime ape friend (pet/son?) is. He is raised by Franco over several years, the relationship is complex; Franco nurtures Caesar like a son, however is unable to give him the freedom he desires. As Caesar becomes more intelligent and self-aware his acceptance of the world around him wanes and so the rising begins.
Caesar is the heart and soul of the film, all actors' performances circulate around this amazing creature, he demands your attention. Showing great range of emotions, we feel Caesar's rage and sadness at the cruelty of man and simultaneously see him show mercy and compassion towards them as he leads the uprising.
Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings) excels in the lead role, bringing the character to life with the aid of CGI. Technology has progressed at certain points in cinematic history, from 2001 to Star Wars, the mind-bending Matrix (bullet time anyone?) and more recently the visually breathtaking Avatar and Tron in 3D. This lacks the same wow factor, we are not immersed into a different universe, but are fascinated by Caesar and the life Serkis brings to him. Without this technology and in the hands of another director this role could have become painfully laughable, but CGI is able to demonstrate the characters range magnificently, yet conversely the character does still seem computerized when surrounded by human settings and people.
A quick mention to the pacing of the film, the director moves proceedings along at a swift pace, but with careful hands knowing how to pause and allow the audience to take a gasp for breath and embrace emotionally charged scenes. My female friend found it a bit much, Alzheimers, animal testing and cruelty all in one film, you may need to bite your tongue or have a box of tissues handy!
This film will make you briefly question the fallacies of man, and sends us a similar message to films like The Day the Earth Stood Still and Terminator; that man will eventually give rise to something that it cannot understand or control and will become obsolete.
I highly recommend you see this great, intelligent and heartfelt summer thriller. 8/10