Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Genre

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Director

Matt Reeves

Country

United States

Cast

Andy Serkis, Toby Kebbell, Nick Thurston, Karin Konoval, Terry Notary, Doc Shaw, Judy Greer, Lee Ross, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smith-McPhee, Kirk Acevedo, Jon Eyez, Enrique Murciano, Jocko Sims, Keir O'Donnell, Kevin Rankin, Lombardo Boyar, James Franco

Plot

Ten years after a pandemic disease, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar (Andy Serkis) is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.

Opinion

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is even more impressive than Rise of the Planet of the Apes: the plot is astonishing, the pulsing pathos will keep any viewer - even those who are not fan of the franchise - on the edge of their seat, and the special effects are amazing and not exaggerated - considering apes are CGI. 

Unlike in the previous film, director Matt Reeves gives equal space to humans and chimps, but most of all he provides the latter of a complexity usually reserved to humans.

Andy Serkis, who plays Caesar, is still the star of the film, and still does an amazing job. Toby Kebbell, who plays Koba, does a great job. Gary Oldman, once again, is confined to a one dimensional role. The rest of the cast is so-so: humans are not great, but on the other hand chimps are better.