Hail Caesar! (or) Monkey See? Monkey Do!

Rating: 6/10 (16 February 2014)

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!
In spite of its flaws (Yep. They were there), this Sci-Fi/Experiment-Gone-Haywire flick was definitely one of the better in its genre that I've seen in a mighty long-long time.
It's certainly been eons since I've been this entertained and involved in a story of this one's nature.
I was so pleased to find that, for once, I actually cared about the characters in this particular "mad scientist" story (especially that of Caesar, the ape).
With its competent direction, good cast, top-notch CGI effects and, yes, its fairly intelligent and thoughtful screenplay, everything about this film came together very nicely as an impressive whole.
From start to finish this film's story actually held my full attention and only on a couple of occasions did I feel as though the screenwriters were regarding me as if I were just a "dumb ape" when it came to its story-line's plausibility factor.
I certainly have to give director Rupert Wyatt some well-deserved credit here for avoiding to get all caught up in so many of the clichéd and predictable pitfalls that seem to plague far too many of these super big-budget Sci-Fi pictures.
I must honestly admit that I was very taken in by the Caesar character. At the point when Caesar saw a dog on a leash like his own (and he began to seriously question his own identity) was when I really started to pay close attention to his intricate and pivotal role in the overall success of this film's fairly involving story-line.
Below are 3 of my biggest complaints against the story -
(1) I could not believe that not even one of the scientists, especially Franklin, had any clue that the ape named "Bright Eyes" was pregnant.
(2) I could not accept that at the age of 8 (as a young, adult ape) Caesar showed absolutely no apparent interest in finding a mate. (I guess he must have had too much else on his mind, eh?)
(3) I thought that the overnight, smartening-up business of the apes and their decidedly over-the-top revolt on the Golden Gate Bridge was really carried just a little too far.
Well, there you have it.
Of course, none of my complaints, in any way, prevented me from enjoying this otherwise entertaining picture (which, when I first sat down to watch it, I was expecting it to royally suck).
I liked the brief scene at the end of the story which showed us how the deadly ALZ-113 virus was transmitted so rapidly to humans all across the entire planet.
With sequels to this film definitely in the making right now, I just hope that they don't flog this one to absolute death.
P.S.
Yes. I fully realize that apes and monkeys are not of the same genus, but, with that said, I went ahead and used the word "monkey" at the start of my review 'cause it seemed more fitting and sounded so much better than saying - "Well, I'll be an ape's uncle!.... Savvy?