The Movie
Motivated young scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) has developed an experimental drug that enables the brain to repair itself through the creation of new cells, potentially a cure for Alzheimer's Disease and more. But when a promising new strain appears to have unexpected side effects in the chimpanzee test subject, the program is scrapped and he reluctantly adopts the one remaining chimpanzee, a healthy baby born with the drug in his system.
Raising a super-intelligent, super-curious ape in a suburban home is bound to lead to certain tensions, and as the hirsute Caesar (performance captured by Andy Serkis) grows to adulthood, his natural assertive, even aggressive instincts begin to emerge. After a skirmish with a neighbor, Caesar winds up in the care of the state, where he meets fellow apes for the first time, and before long he is their leader, with a dream of freedom for them all.
Will meanwhile has created a new and improved version of his formula, this time as an airborne virus that can be administered as a gas. It works wonders on a new chimpanzee test subject, but it also happens to be fatal to humans.
This prequel to the classic Planet of the Apes successfully reboots the franchise following Tim Burton's misguided 2001 remake, convincingly explaining how these primates could have in fact ascended to seize control of Earth from man. It begins as an intimate, personal tale that expands methodically into nothing less than the beginning of the end of the world as we know it, with another civilization on the horizon. And I couldn't take my eyes off it.
Caesar! Chiarella! Lozito! Great minds think alike: Read Joe Lozito's review of Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
The Picture
Rise of the Planet of the Apes was shot on 35mm film and is presented here in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio with minimal grain. The image is pleasingly sharp for the most part, benefiting from an AVC bitrate averaging in the mid-20s (megabits per second) and exhibiting strong colors. The difficult San Francisco fog looks believably natural without excessive noise or ringing, although I did note a bit of video streaking/strobing, and the blacks tend to be murky and lacking nuance throughout.
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is engaging and enjoyable from the start, with lots of little actions and movement across the 5.1-channel soundfield. Soon enough comes the resonant shattering of glass, and banging and screeching from all around, with the confines of Caesar's lockup particularly well-rendered. The spacious multcihannel mix of the music is used effectively to help propel the story. I could have done with a bit more bass though, especially in the action sequences.
The Extras
Director Rupert Wyatt checks in with a solo audio commentary, in addition to a second track from writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. The dozen deleted and alternate scenes total as many minutes, in high def and Dolby Digital 5.1, although the special effects are not finished. That's fine however, as some of them give us a glimpse of what an amazing artist Andy Serkis is, performing entire scenes as Caesar live on-set. He also receives his own featurette about motion capture, along with segments about the swanky new digital visuals, the musical score, the challenges of motion capture on a large exterior set, and a discussion with cast and crew about the classic Apes films.
We can also watch a key scene in one of three interactive ways: the final version with a behind-the-scenes picture-in-picture reference, the early animation for the scene and the performance capture footage. Some lovely character concept art is assembled as a still gallery, organized by character and navigable by the remote control. There is also a fascinating fact-based section that teaches us about chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans with a variety of media. All of the video extras are in high definition.
Disc One is BD-Live-enabled with What's New, Live Lookup in partnership with IMDb.com, and the exclusive two-minute "Ape School" clip. Disc Two is a hybrid DVD with the movie in standard definition plus a Digital Copy for iTunes or Android.
Final Thoughts
A more-than-worthy addition to Fox's enduring Planet of the Apes canon, the aptly-named Rise elevates the franchise to new heights, an impressive technical achievement that also entertains, and destined to spark many a geek's debate.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
