Directed by:
Matt ReevesCinematography:
Michael SeresinComposer:
Michael GiacchinoCast:
Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Kirk Acevedo, Judy Greer, Nick Thurston, Terry Notary, Jon Eyez (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar 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. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (13)
I’m enjoying the development that the trilogy is going through so far, both in form and content. From an emotional human blockbuster with a distinctive auteur story to a bleak post-apocalyptic vision shrouded in dark colours and an insistent sense of impending conflict. The story itself is admittedly more or less generic and, with its clearly defined ideas and roughly sketched characters, it’s accessible even to the least perceptive patient of a Polio ward, but the experience stemming from the unearthly CGI and the gradual escalation of the seemingly controllable situation is nevertheless extremely engaging and, thanks to the atmospheric charge, this time the considerably more violent action scenes are as intense (albeit in a different, cheaper sense) as in the first film. Evil and good may have been clearly defined since from the moment they enter the stage, but their motivations remain so strong, logical and fateful that they far outweigh the unsurprising consequences of their actions... The visuals are truly fantastic, there are lots over-the-top sequences, and the scene of the year.. An incredibly very strong 4*.
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A few minutes of over-digitalized introduction suggests that the second instalment bet on a completely different horse than the first part, where digital monkeys complemented an emotionally charged and dramaturgically sensitive story about people and the place of animals in the human world (and vice versa). It was a cleanly made film in the Spielberg tradition. The second film drowns in digital effects, is action-packed and, following the current trends set by Nolan, visually dark. Which in itself might not hurt if all of its characters had a meaningful place in the story and if it didn’t provoke emotions with cheap sentiment. I really expected more from Matt Reeves than a mere flashy but empty blockbuster.
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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.
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Ten winters have passed since the events in part one and apes haven’t seen humans for a good few years. But the idyll that Caesar build in the jungle away from the city is to come to an end when man enters his territory. Slow building of relationships and introduction of heroes prove to be worth it in the more warring second half. When Koba gets to work with his gun. The ape gang led by Andy Serkis comes across more realistically than last time and so we should say a few words about the excellent acting performances. Kebbell’s Koba is awesome. The human rabble is concentrated around Clarke’s family and even though they fade a little beside their ape brothers, they are still really fine. I was surprised about Gary Oldman’s appearance. He isn’t given much room. Excellent narration from Reeves on a conversational level, but he’s also at home in warring situations. The attacks by the apes and one-to-one combat are original and powerful (especially the scene with the armored transporter and the rotating turmoil of battle) with precise special effect sequences. The ruins of San Francisco is a feast for the eyes too. I’m happy. Apes do not kill apes.
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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.
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