Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dense, emotionally very rich, layered, fun and charming work with effects and "inhuman" protagonists, who take most of the space from their counterparts made of flesh and bones, which we simply don’t get to see that much (a slightly "sketched" Oldman, for example). Reeves has a more distinctive style than Wyatt, and it must be said that the use of long steady cam rides or a static camera in a few larger action sets is very refreshing, while giving the world of Planet of the Apes a prudence that goes beyond frenetic blockbusters. The tricks do not act as a self-serving tool for arousing astonishment, but rather as a deft means of characterizing characters with limited ability to express themselves verbally. In the same way, the action forms part of a compact and intertwined whole, which is characterized by surprisingly sensitive work with a detail of a monkey's face (not only a symbolically mirrored introduction and conclusion), but the film is brought down a bit by some partial clumsiness in the narrative. The film does not focus on simply entertaining, but truly strives to create a functioning universe, the possibilities of which deepen with each film. Also exciting is the way in which it "distributes" sympathy for "non-people" and makes them the bearers of our own historical dilemmas and failures (Caesar and Koba - sic! - as two faces of the revolution and the effort to create a functioning community). That's why Planet of the Apes is currently the most interesting "running" blockbuster series and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a film that stands out enough in this year's fierce competition to call it the best high-budget affair thus far. For me, it’s even a bit more convincing than the first film. [90%] (14/07/2014)

The second episode of the Planet of the Apes saga impressed me comparably to the first one. The bleak vision of a near and post-apocalyptic future has been brought to the screen many times before and like the others, this one had something to it. I liked the use of both sign and normal speech in the apes. The look and especially the facial expressions of the primates were incredibly authentic, and the technical workmanship was of a decent standard. All in all, a very well made sequel that ranks among the better than average sci-fi flicks these days. (23/08/2014)

This time there’s no CGI in the service of perfectly crafted emotions, honest monkey looks, and precise directorial construction of a simple plot, as Reeves sees the film's basic thrust on the exact opposite spectrum of blockbuster rules. Work with the characters is at zero, and plot predictability is at the max. As the minutes ticked by, I honestly felt so bad for every moment I guessed in advance that I wanted to turn in my movie ticket and get my money back. Fail of the year. (27/07/2014)

People. Apes. Hominids. Mammals. Scum. Everybody. Speak. Lots. CGI. Lots. Blockbuster. Thought. Seemingly. Superficial. Black and white. Too simple. Half-assed. First. Better. Suspense. Subliminal. Silence. Storm. Sequel. Different. Very. Overtone. Current. Inevitability. Pretend. Worse. No. Better. Different... And as a bonus to the short-spoken speech of animals, you get the origin of the shrew legal loophole in the apish lawbook committed on Rambo the Ape. (15/07/2014)

Ape not kill ape. The stunning impression from Rise of the Planet of the Apes remains unmatched, but the sequel does not embarrass the apes, quite the opposite. It is only the world of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, where heroes and flawed characters exist on both sides of the barricade, that feels very real and convincingly enough that instead of offering an action-packed and dramatic spectacle, it provides a rather depressing spectacle. However, there is still plenty of room for superbly executed intense moments, which once again unsurprisingly belong to the majestic Caesar. I am slowly losing confidence in how many installments this saga can withstand, but if it really continues under the helm of Matt Reeves, my concerns will quickly disappear. (24/07/2014)