logan j. fowler and jason stives look at the latest incarnation of the Apes saga …
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? No Thanks.
The trailer for Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (I think that title is dreadful, by the way) just made me go “meh.” While I will admit that the CGI looks very well done, I just can’t appreciate the concept. Yes, it has Hollywood’s “it” guy of the moment, James Franco, but even then it was not enough to sell me. Now maybe the movie might wow, it might surprise, maybe it could be really good. However, nothing hooked me from the trailer; that’s enough to make me say forget about it. This is one potential summer blockbuster that I’m going to be avoiding.
— LJF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_gKq200EBk
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Undecided.
As I said in my First Picture Show article last week, the relevancy of Planet Of The Apes in the 21st century feels a bit debatable. While I always encourage the act of revitalizing science fiction melodrama, Planet Of The Apes in its original form was a commentary of its time. The idea of genetically engineered apes running rampant in a world so advanced in military technology and firearms doesn’t register as believable — even if you have current “it” man James Franco as your lead scientist.
Marketing Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (a title I’m already tired of saying in its entirety) as a prequel to a series of films that most likely current movie goers are unfamiliar with, let alone acting as a prequel to already established continuity, is risqué. As a fan of the original five films, it tampers greatly with already established material (mind you the series does a full circle creating onto itself), but science-fiction has always been about rewriting the myth as long as it’s plausible. The CGI apes look very convincing, using the technology used in Avatar , but the impact of those characters registers solely on Andy Serkis portrayal of Caesar, the lead ape who is experimented on to astonishing results. If Caesar isn’t a convincing lead character, then the film will fall flat. Needless to say, I’m still very skeptical, but with August usually representing a slow month in film, only the next few months will decide if I am truly invested in this reboot.
— JS
