‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Is Already Impressing Critics

It looks like Rise of The Planet of The Apes wasn’t a fluke after all. Its sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is already receiving great buzz with the critics. When it was announced no one really expected much from the 2011 film Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but voice actor Andy Serkis worked his magic and a hit was born.

Because it was a hit the studio milked a sequel and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was born. That said, it seems like a lot of people are really loving the sequel, which means chances are it’s going to be the exception franchise it should have been years ago. Anyone remember Tim Burton’s 2001 reboot with Mark Wahlberg? If you do we sincerely apologize.

The question whether or not this sequel would be a hit weighed heavily, mostly due to the fact that a different director was brought in to take over the project. While Rupert Wyatt was the director behind the reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the baton was passed on to director Matt Reeves for the second outing.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Reeves opened up on how the sequel really explores how the film reflects our society today. “We seem to be fascinated with our own destruction. It allows us to find a way to explore some of our collective fear in a way that makes it entertainment, and it makes the unthinkable fathomable, which makes it kind of thrilling.”

Like most blockbuster films Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has set itself apart with its motion capture, which enhances the film’s visual experience for the viewer. The Guardian’s review really drives this home in explaining why this is a solid sequel and a worthy popcorn flick.

“Few blockbusters this summer are likely to provide an image as stirring as an angry chimp on horseback, leaping through a wall of fire with a machine gun blazing in each hand — in 3D. Both the forest settings and post-apocalyptic San Francisco are rich in detail and atmosphere, the action sequences are thrilling without being flashy, and the apes themselves are uncannily expressive, particularly their eyes.”

The Telegraph defends the film and says it pushes forward where Rise of the Planet of the Apes merely touched.

“Where its predecessor in the series imagined the growing consciousness of apes in revolt, this one plunges us into a war of gorillas versus guerrillas – a form of strife without clear winners, and one in which we’re never forced to choose one side over the other.”

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on July 11.