A surprisingly great movie!

Rating: 9/10 (15 August 2011)

1 - Trailer : I wanted to see this movie based on all the good critics it got rather than the trailer. The trailer isn't bad but I feel it makes this movie look way too dramatic and profound in a way that turns cliché and unnecessary. It doesn't make quite justice to the movie as it turned out way better than I expected.
2 - Characters & Cast : Though James Franco wasn't as great as in 127 Hours, it's still James Franco and he's a great actor. His character is well put but the real star in this movie is Caesar (Andy Serkis) the ape! Unlike most movie with an animal as the main character, this chimp really acts. You can feel his emotions and see the intelligence in his eyes. You fall in love with the baby ape and later get frighten at the angry grownup Caesar. This Motion-Capture technology is really adding to the CGI by turning the digitally made character in a real actor. Oh and I'm in love with Freida Pinto. Her role isn't major in the movie but as being a cute and tender girlfriend, you can't get better.
3 - Plot & Story : I've seen the original movies and though I can barely remember them, I'm sure the fans won't be disappointed. Honestly, with so many sequels, prequels, reboots and remakes in 2011, this is for sure on the top 3. This is an origin story and a very good start for a franchise. I found the plot well developed with a good pace that kept me intrigued the entire movie.
4 - Theme & Genre : I think the theme is the same as the originals on how humans are put down in the animal kingdom after thousands of years of ruling with cruelty. The genre is also well brought with good a dose of drama (nothing too cheesy), sci-fi that is realistic and believable and the action that really makes this movie enjoyable to it's potential and also realistic and well-thought of. Not just a bunch of random apesplosions (get it? APE-splosions haha OK sorry about that).
5 - Overall Appreciation : This movie may not be a piece of art but it's still a must see in my opinion. I was not a fan of the original franchise and the 2001 remake was OK but now I'm really excited for the upcoming movies. I enjoyed this movie and though CGI usually irritates me, it was astonishingly great. At some point I couldn't tell if it was CGI or a shot of a real ape! 9/10 for the action, CGI, solid story and a well balanced movie!