《猩球崛起》的英文影评

《猩球崛起》的英文影评

After the initial success of the original Planet of the Apes back in 1968 with Charlton Heston (which I saw only a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed) they did three sequels preceding it which weren't bad through into the early 70s. Then in 2001 tragically Tim Burton tried a remake/reboot with Mark Walghberg at the helm. For me as it was seen generally by the public it was absolutely awful. Finally after another decade director Rupert Wyatt has made a second attempt at a reboot/remake and I am pleased to say he has carried it off with great aplomb.

This version first sees good-intentioned scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) doing experiments on genetically enhanced Apes to try and find a cure for Alzheimer's which his father Charles (John Lithgow) has. He ends up taking home a baby ape that he calls Caeser (Andy Serkis) when it's mother dies after being killed by security guards who thought she was going on the rampage while really she was protecting Caeser. Whilst taking care of Caeser Will discovers a drug within the Apes that will help cure his father as he also teaches Caeser how to socialise. He also develops intelligence (a side effect of the drug). Meanwhile Will ends up dating vet Caroline (Frieda Pinto) who loves Apes as much as Will.

As years go by Will's father starts to deteriorate again as the drug begins to wear off and an incident with Caeser defending Charles against an abusive next door neighbour gets the Ape catered off to a sanctuary with other Apes where Caeser is bullied by two guards, one being Dodge Landon (Tom Felton who played Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise).

Due to the cruel treatment Caeser receives at the hands of these humans and feeling neglected by Will he establishes himself as the alpha-male and plans a daring and well co-ordinated escape for freedom with the other Apes to rule over the humans (what will eventually be the case in the sequel). First off the CGI of the Apes themselves is absolutely jaw-dropping. Forget men in monkey suits in the original and the sequels that proceeded. These apes look - are actual apes, you wouldn't think that they are just special effects. It's a testament to giving this film realism as they move like real apes. The second biggest strength is the central performance by Andy Serkis as Casear, it also reflects the many strengths of silent movie making as Casear stays virtually wordless. Serkis gives a sensational central performance that deserves at least an Oscar nomination. Through Caesar's movements and facial expressions and when he finally speaks we feel everything he feels tenderness and love at Will looking after him and pain and rage when being mistreated by humans. It is bravo piece of acting and the audience feels for Casear's plight the whole way.

It's unfortunate that the humans fair less well mostly. The only ones who really make any impact is Tom Felton as the nasty guard who makes the most of his menace in a cracking performance and Lithgow as Charles who gives an accurate and sensitive portrayal of one suffering from Alzheimer's. Even then they have little character development.

Unfortunately James Franco and Frieda Pinto are nothing more than cardboard cut outs as they have severely unwritten roles (though they give decent performances). Franco though has more to