Movie Review: DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Andy Serkis, Toby Kebbell, Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Gary Oldman, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Nick Thurston, Judy Greer

2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes ended with the apes attacking the Golden Gate Bridge. The movie as a whole was rather dull and full of bad acting, but it culminated to a rather intriguing ending that left me wanting more. I was optimistic that this series still had some life left to it. Ten years have passed since those events and the Simian flu has wiped out a majority of the human population. There is a small group of humans that are immune and sequestered in a small colony in San Francisco. The exact opposite has happened to the ape population. They have grown, evolved, and populated. Caesar (Serkis) is seen as the authority figure amongst all of the apes. They believe the humans have been destroyed as there has been no trace of them since the outbreak of the virus. While walking through the forest, Caeser’s son Blue Eyes (Thurston) encounters a small group of them who have entered the ape territory.

It’s not long before Malcolm (Clarke), Ellie (Russell), and the others are surrounded by a legion of apes. Malcolm learns right then and there that the apes are far more advanced than they had expected. Caesar demands that they leave and never return. Back on the colony, Malcolm informs their leader (Oldman) that the apes can talk. The humans are in a bind as they are running low on energy and there is a dam in the ape territory that could be resourceful. Malcolm decides to face Caesar again and claims he only wants peace between the humans and apes. They come to an agreement, and Caesar allows Malcolm and his small crew to use the dam. Some of the apes including Koba (Kebbell) are not so pleased with Caesar’s decision to trust the humans. He proceeds to betray Caesar and disrupts the peace that has been building between both sides.

In a way, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is like X-Men: Days of Future Past or The Amazing Spider-Man 2. You could consider it a sequel to a reboot or just look at it as the latest in a longer series of movies. It definitely feels like the second part of what will end up being a new trilogy as Rise of the Planet of the Apes set the groundwork for this storyline. With the time frame jumping ahead ten years, we get a whole new set of human characters played by Jason Clarke, (Zero Dark Thirty), Keri Russell (Felicity), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight trilogy), and Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In). With these new characters, I would have liked a bit more in terms of character development in the script. There is a bit of background given in random lines just to add a bit of context, but it is sparse. Am I asking for too much here? I suppose so as the story really belongs to evolution of the ape characters. The team of screenwriters including Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver continue to push the line of how advanced the apes are and how they are continually becoming closer and closer as a species to humans. I was intrigued by the choice to have the language of the apes be a basic form of sign language with broken English added into it as they continue to learn how to communicate.

The use of motion capture technology brought a whole new vision to the series as we no longer had actors in ape costumes. The actors wear full body suits with censors and cameras to capture the actor’s complete performance including their movements and emotions. In post-production, Weta Digital uses those images and replaces the CGI ape design over it. It’s a technology that continues to evolve and is proof that you can have a CGI driven film but still capture the acting and emotional arch involved. The technology has come so far that the actors can shoot their scenes on location with the other human actors involved instead of being stuck in a studio or sound stage. Every ape character seen in the film has a human performance behind it. While it may be easy to think of Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, or Gary Oldman being the faces of the movie, the true life and breath of the movie belongs to Andy Serkis and Toby Kebbell (Wrath of the Titans) as Caesar and Koba, respectively. Serkis was the perfect actor to bring Caesar to life. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he is a master craftsman. He has been a leader in this work ever since using it as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He should have been given some sort of award for his work in that series, and he continues to prove he’s more than just that character. These reboots wouldn’t be the same without him. There is a cartoonish feel to the other movies, but he brings a depth and emotional connection to Caesar like he would for any other human character he would play. I have never seen Toby Kebbell in anything else, and I was mesmerized by the menacing qualities of Koba and how truly evil he becomes toward the other apes.

Director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In) keeps the pace and action up throughout the whole movie. I thought the first one was a bit slow, but that is not the case this time around. The central conflict between man versus ape and ape versus ape is set in place fairly early on and the tension continues to escalate until the final battle. That battle is epic and quite frightening at times. The camera is kept pretty panned out throughout a majority of the action scenes which gives a clear scope and magnitude of the bigger picture at hand. I get so sick and tired of action films that are shot so up close and fast that you can’t see what’s going on. I think it proves far more stunning and visually cinematic seeing the hordes of apes ascending into the colony and fighting with a wide shot. Michael Giacchino’s score is present and drives the intensity even further. There is a vintage feel to it which is an interesting juxtaposition to the futuristic world of the movie.

When a film series continue on and on you sometimes get a bunch of movies that are rehashes of the same crap we’ve seen before (ahem Transformers: Age of Extinction). They are made with the pure intent of making money over quality. I think there was a lot riding on this movie to keep the series going by pushing the boundaries in a thought provoking way. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a pleasant surprise by doing just that and rises to the pile of being one of the better movies of the summer. The closing shot of the movie is the perfect bookend for how the movie opens. It makes me even more excited to see what direction they take the next film.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? Who would have expected that the eighth movie in the Planet of the Apes series would be so riveting?

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: ROBOCOP

ROBOCOP
Director: José Padilha
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Michael K. Williams, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earl Haley

Valentine's Day weekend brought us three remakes of '80s films. Three? Really? Yes, I kid you not.  Apparently we are void of any original love stories to be told for that special day. I vaguely recall seeing the original 1987 Paul Verhoeven flick edited for television many years ago when I was a kid flipping channels. Needless to say, I went in fresh without an ingrained memories of Peter Weller suited up taking on the criminals. Jump forward to 2028 and robots are being used by the US military to settle the violence in Tehran. OmniCorp, the parent company of these killing machines, is looking to bring the technology to the United States due to the success it has brought Tehran. The company's president Raymond Sellers (Keaton) plus a couple of employees from the marketing department  (Ehle, Baruchel) are having a hard time getting it approved by the US Senate. Apparently these robots are smart enough to kill the bad guys, but innocent civilians are getting killed on accident without any sort of emotional response from the robots.

Sellers comes up with the brilliant plan of adding a human to the robots in order to gain popularity for the project. His angle is that they will be able to show emotion and a thought process before killing any targets. He teams up with Dr. Dennett Horton (Oldman) to test potential candidates. Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) and his partner Jack Lewis (Williams) are members of the Detroit police force working on bringing down crime boss Antoine Vallon. Murphy is severely burned and paralyzed after his car explodes due to Vallon's hit on him. His wife Clara (Cornish) gives Sellers and Dr. Horton permission to use Murphy as their first test subject under the new RoboCop program. No matter how much they tinker around with Alex's emotional and cognitive recall, OmniCorp is not prepared for the aftermath of what happens next.

The idea behind RoboCop may have seemed fresh in the '80s after The Terminator was a huge success. This reboot feels a bit unnecessary as it doesn't feel innovative or ground breaking.  It feels like it is trying to capitalize on all the Marvel success where we take this damaged hero type figure and force science and technology into him only to end up with dangerous results. That's not to say that it was doomed from the beginning, but it seems to take itself so seriously that there is no fun or joy to be had. What makes movies like Iron Man or Captain America: The First Avenger work well is that they have a sense of humor about it. They acknowledge that this idea is a bit ridiculous, but they run with it and save the world at the same time.

I give screenwriter Joshua Zetumer some credit for making the family aspects to it stand out. You definitely get a sense that the family story with his wife and son and the effects Alex/RoboCop has on them is vital to the story.  Where he falls flat is that he tries to cover so much other ground on top of the family story. There is so much time and characters devoted to different aspects of the story that, while they have some merit, ultimately could be cut and trimmed down for the sake of the pacing. Take for instance the Samuel L. Jackson character. He plays this TV news reporter that reports on the OmniCorp technology that opens the movie. He then disappears for a good chunk of the movie and then comes back. There is also the whole political angle with more time and characters devoted to the Dreyfuss Act. Actor Zach Grenier (TV's "The Good Wife") is great as Senator Dreyfuss, but do we really need all of the courtroom scenes? I understand the point of his portion of the story, but too much time is spent there. This is on top of the actual story involving Alex Murphy, his family, his crew over at the Detroit police department, and all of the people involved with OmniCorp.

The film has a run time of just under two hours, yet I really felt like I was watching a three hour action saga. So many angles and elements of the story that get explored and discussed could potentially have been saved for future entries if this would become a franchise. The whole exposition and lead-up to when the RoboCop is ready for public display feels like one whole story. I actually thought they were going to end the movie at that point, but I realized he hadn't solved any crimes yet or killed any of the Detroit's most wanted. That wasn't the only time I thought the movie was ending. Whether it was the writing, slow pacing, or both, there were numerous false endings where it would have ended perfectly but it cut to another scene.

On paper this film may have flowed better. There are so many great actors working here, and I'm sure they all thought this could be a good film for easy money that could potentially build into a franchise. Gary Oldman is always a treat to watch no matter how good or bad the film turns out. It is nice to see Michael Keaton back on the big screen again. There is one scene that is classic Keaton style acting that was one of the better parts of the movie. Joel Kinnaman has a nice wholesome family man aspect to him that fits this Alex Murphy well. I have no idea how he compares to Peter Weller so I have no bias toward the original here. Kinnaman keeps the character grounded and maintains the human aspect about him without falling into any sort of robotic, two dimensional stereotype once he is assembled into the RoboCop. This is the first American film for Brazilian director José Padilha. He has some good elements working for him here as he has some high caliber actors that signed on for this. You also won't find a lot of cheesy dialogue or over-acting like you would find in a Michael Bay movie. Focus and tight storytelling are his biggest problems. There is far too much going on, especially for a remake.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? No. This remake takes itself far too seriously.

RATING: **1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: LAWLESS

LAWLESS
Director: John Hillcoat
Starring: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman

Bootlegging was the term for the illegal smuggling of alcohol during the Prohibition era. The Bondurant Brothers left their mark on Franklin County, Virginia as moonshine bootleggers. Forrest (Hardy), Jack (LaBeouf), and Howard (Clarke) have their turf and are not to be messed with unless you want to end up a bloody mess. They are known to have an "invincible" status. A group of lawmen led by Charlie Rakes (Pearce) from Chicago have stepped in and threaten the brothers in an attempt to share in their moonshine profits. While the brothers and the rest of the locals are living a shabby, dusty, and dirty life, Rakes comes in dressed in his finest clothes, gloves, and finely styled hair. His eyebrows have been so finely plucked they are barely noticeable.

Your standard bar brawl turns vicious one night at the Bondurant's saloon. Forrest wins the fight between the men and drags them out of the saloon. Along with his bar maid, Maggie (Chastain), he closes up the saloon for the night and heads out to his car. The gentlemen from the fight retaliate by attacking him and slashing his throat. Maggie happens to drive back to the saloon not knowing the fate of Forrest and gets bruised and beaten herself. Forrest stays true to his invincible self and survives the attack. Jack vows for revenge on the men and Rakes all the while trying to carry on the family business and wooing the local preacher's daughter (Wasikowska).

The movie is based on the book "The Wettest County in the World" by Matt Bondurant who is the grandson of Jack Bondurant. Like most movies based on real life figures, there is an antique photo of the real brothers that starts the final credits. Singer/Songwriter Nick Cave wrote the screenplay and composed the score for the movie. The storytelling is a bit choppy at times. The beginning of the movie feels very slow. It seemed as if Cave didn't know how to set up the characters or how to start the story before the catalyst that drives the rest of the movie happens. I get irritated when I feel like I don't know where the story is going. There could be far more depth and urgency with the story as well as the characters. The characters could have been written with more specificity instead of seeming like stereotypes. You've got the strong but silent brother, the young anxious brother, the flamboyant villain, the Tommy Gun toting gangster, the bar maid, and the quiet church girl.

Despite weak writing, the acting is fairly strong overall. I am not sure if Tom Hardy filmed this before or after The Dark Knight Rises but he still has his Bane body and uses that to embody his invincible status. Guy Pearce borders on over-the-top at times as the flamboyant Charlie Rakes. You definitely grow to hate his character. Gary Oldman is a perfect chameleon of an actor. Unfortunately, he is in the movie all too briefly. I would have loved to see more of his character. Hillcoat has directed a very violent and grisly movie. The added sound effects make every gun shot and throat slashing all the more graphic. While the movie has some good things going for it, it is done on a very simple surface level.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Matthew Modine

All good things must come to end. Finding the proper send off to a beloved trilogy is tricky. The audience has spent the last two movies invested in classic characters and rich storytelling and you do not want to be let down by some lackluster finale. Audiences will not remember The Return of the Jedi or The Godfather Part III as the best in the series. However, I firmly believe The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the best of that trilogy. Christopher Nolan had his work cut out for him to deliver a satisfying conclusion to his Batman trilogy. The previous entry, The Dark Knight, was pitch perfect and delivered one of the greatest performances seen on screen in the last ten years.

Eight years have passed since the events that ended The Dark Knight. Gotham City seems to be at a peaceful state under the reign of Commissioner Gordon (Oldman) and the passing of the Dent Act. Batman has not been seen since he disappeared the night of Harvey Dent's death. Bruce Wayne (Bale) has retreated to a secluded life in Wayne Manor over his former luxurious lifestyle. On the eight year anniversary of Dent's death, the celebration is a set for a spark in the beginning of the downfall of Gotham. Bruce's encounter with cat burglar Selina Kyle (Hathaway) is one of the first signs that "a storm is coming." She seems to be after more than the simple necklace that she steals from Bruce.

Selina Kyle assists in the kidnapping of a congressman in an attempt to lure Commissioner Gordon to the scene. Gordon follows the trail into the sewer system to find it has been taken over by Bane (Hardy) and his henchmen. Bane is a bald beefy badass that wears a muzzle over his scarred mouth. Gordon escapes through the water lines but is shot in the process. While hospitalized, he appoints Officer John Blake (Gordon-Levitt) to directly report to him. Blake has a connection to Bruce Wayne as they both lost their parents at a young age. He approaches Bruce and informs him that he has known all along that he is Batman. He believes in the good Batman has done for the city and implores Bruce to don the cape and cowl to stand up to Bane. Bruce’s butler Alfred (Caine) feels differently. He knows the danger and risk involved and does not want to deal with the death of another member of the Wayne family. Bruce ignores Alfred’s pleas and comes to terms with the fact it is time to family don the Batman again. Bane’s reign of power over of Gotham continues. The takeover of Wayne Enterprises Applied Science Division, the attack on the Stock Exchange, and the trapping of all policeman in the tunnel system are all part of Bane’s attempt to take on the wealthiest of Gotham.

Part of the intriguing concept in Nolan’s Batman Trilogy is that it is set in a very realistic society. The feel of Gotham and its residents is more modern than the dark gothic world or comic book world we’ve seen from previous Batman movies. The themes and events in Nolan’s films ring all too realistic at times. The notions of corruption, anarchy, power of the people, class systems, vigilantes, and the Occupy Movement all ring true to the events in today’s world as well as Gotham. With many comic book movies, it is easy to separate yourself from the fantasy world those characters live in. At one point I had to remember that I was technically watching a movie based on a comic-book as it was all hitting close to home.

It is hard to follow-up Heath Ledger’s Oscar winning performance of the Joker in The Dark Knight. He still remains the best villain of the series. Bane and The Joker are two very different villains with different motivations. Due to his size and muzzled face, he doesn’t quite have the chaotic characteristics that came with The Joker. Tom Hardy gives a fantastic performance as he inhabits a larger than life entity set out for destruction and war. Anne Hathaway steals the movie as the slinky, sexy Selina Kyle. Even though she’s never referred to as Catwoman, she fully embodies the spirit of Catwoman and never lets the leather suit get in her way. She uses the suit and heals to her advantage. You never know exactly what to expect out of Catwoman. Where is she going to pop up, can you trust her, is she good or evil? Hathaway is perfect at keeping her mysterious and not playing her as a stereotype. Joseph Gordon-Levitt also stands out as the brave and strong-willed John Blake. He is not afraid to do what is right and stand up for what he believes in.

With a running time of over two and a half hours, Nolan and his screenwriting brother Jonathan Nolan have written a long finale to their saga. There is a lot of ground they cover in order to introduce new characters, connect them to the back story, and create a cohesive storyline for all three parts. I think the movie succeeds at feeling like it is its own story while still feeling a part of the overall saga of the rise and fall and rise of Batman that the trilogy has laid out for the audience. Nolan and cinematographer Wally Pfister have shot about 70 minutes of the movie using 70mm IMAX cameras. Many of the aerial shots and the action sequences are the IMAX scenes. The scope and feel of these scenes are breathtaking especially if you can see it at an IMAX theater like the Great Clips IMAX Theater at the Minnesota Zoo. The Dark Knight Rises is a stunning, breathtaking, and completely satisfying end making the Batman trilogy one of the best trilogies ever made.

RATING: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)