Run time: 130mins       Certificate: 12A
Director: Matt Reeves
Cast: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman.
Release Date: July 17, 2014 (UK)

Hail Caesar!

Its immediately clear how far the apes have come since their escape in Rise as they form a hunting party in Dawn’s opening scene, signing commands in silence and brandishing spears with efficiency. Even more apparent is their sense of family, coming to each others aid without hesitation. Reeves sets Dawn apart straight away, opening and carrying much of the film with the now fully fledged community of super intelligent apes. Their human counterparts have plenty of limelight, but its Caesar (Serkis) and Koba’s (Kebbell) struggle with each other and the dilemma that the humans pose that lies at the centre of the film. The first entry focused on how the apes affected human lives, but that balance has been flipped on its head here, the experience remaining familiar but fresh at the same time. Put simply, Matt Reeves hasn’t focused on merely a continuation, but an evolution of the story Rise told.

The world created here is realised flawlessly, much of it being filmed in real locations seen through an apocalyptic lens. The apes tribal fortress in the woods feels as real as the human stronghold over the water in San Francisco, and each can turn from being a homely sanctuary to deadly enemy territory depending on the species its welcoming; Dawn excels at placing us in the shoes of both sides. The normality with which the world is conveyed helps to ease the audience into this, striking scenes such as an army of apes marching into the city on horseback are presented without dramatics, being left to astonish through the rawness of their imagery.

The apes themselves are a marvel; conversing mostly through sign language (its refreshing to see a blockbuster this comfortable with subtitles) and staring at humans with eyes just as emotional as theirs. Maurice (Karin Konoval) the orang-utan stands out amongst the apes here, though he’s less humanoid in appearance than the others the eyes alone convey his wisdom, geniality and curiosity. One particular continuous shot taken from the viewpoint of a tanks spinning turret as it hurtles out of control, rotating to reveal the horrors of the scene around it, is an outstanding moment. Lastly Michael Giacchino’s soundtrack impresses throughout, evoking classic sci-fi beats whilst hitting the dramatic highs found in modern soundtracks.

The narrative however fails to live up to the ingenuity of its world. The story of two wildly different groups inevitably colliding despite the best efforts of their peacekeepers is skilfully told, but its a scenario we’ve seen play out no end of times before and Dawn does little to shake things up. Before things begin to erupt you’ll likely be able to predict how they’ll go down, and Dawn fails to rise above the usual cliché’s despite how well crafted most of its characters are. One particular scene between Caesar and his son is particularly irking as both utter lines like “Apes more like humans than apes know.” as if it were the take home message for any chimpanzees sitting in the audience. A little too on the nose considering the film has focused on subtly establishing this fact up until this moment. One instance of two (admittedly very minor) characters disappearing from the group when they’re no longer needed is also jarring, especially considering it reduces the number in that group from five to three with little explanation. Furthermore its particularly disappointing to see two of those three left out of the human sides resolution come the end of the film.

Its important to emphasise however that despite the above shortcomings, the central story is handled masterfully. Events are given time to breathe in the slow burning first half, thankfully giving us a better understanding of why individuals are taking the actions they’re taking on both sides. Caesar’s relationship with his second in command, the tortured Koba, is engrossingly told. Likewise in the human camp, we’re given time to understand their fears. Neither is the villain here, Reeves allows the viewer to see that both sides are grey for themselves rather than highlighting the good and the bad. It pays off too, once the action kicks off there’s no need for monologues, you’ll understand the individuals motives behind every action because of how well the scene has been set. It may all be familiar, but its certainly one of the best renditions yet.

The cast shines here, both in motion capture and physical presence. Andy Serkis is better than ever, bringing his most human character yet to screen in the form of Caesar, the weight on the older leaders shoulders visible with every weary look. Toby Kebbell also shines as Koba, tragic when recounting his scarred history and unnerving when pretending to be an innocent ‘dumb ape’ to fool unsuspecting humans. On the human side Jason Clarke proves to be a strong lead, his Malcolm showing just as much determination as Caesar to protect his family. Gary Oldman is ever reliable as the militant leader Dreyfus, convincing as both a concerned leader and determined commander despite the criminally little screen time he’s given.

Verdict

The world alluded to in the first entry is now incredibly real, the apes and humans more interesting than ever. The age old story at its heart is told remarkably well, but lacks the ambition of the incredible world it takes place in. Regardless this is a lovingly crafted sci-fi epic that maintains its blockbuster appeal, rightfully placing character above spectacle, but providing both in spades.

Hits

+Serkis and Kebbell are at the top of their game as the ape duo
+Incredible effects used to bring the apes and world to life.
+Well told story from both perspectives
+That tank top shot
+Classic sci-fi soundtrack

Misses

–Clichéd plot beats
–Forgotten/underused characters

Overall Rating