People like monkeys. It is true. I know, monkeys aren't apes and vise versa, but it is true. Our nearest neighbors in the animal kingdom draw endless interest with humans wanting to eyeball their antics. Seeing these beings so...familiar doing the simplest of things to the most amazing or intricate just naturally draws our facination. And in some cases, inspires dread and paranoia. All these things come to a head in the Planet of the Apes series. It started with a novel published in 1963, then a film starring Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall, regarded as one of the classics of 60s science fiction cinema, debuted in 1968. Since then, with movies, books, TV shows and the like of varying levels of quality, the franchise has shown considerable staying power. And now, we have Dawn of the Apes, the second film in the latest incarnation.
Directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), the second film in the new series opens up on the scenario launched at the end of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, with a super virus eliminating most of the human population globally. Beginning to fill in the gap of a radicially diminished humanity are the now established population of sentient apes that came into existence in the first film. Led by chimpanzee chieftain Ceasar (Andy Serkiss), the tribe of chimps, gorillas and orangutans leads an idyllic existence, with most of them thinking that humanity has died off. One day, they find out that isn't true. The first encounter doesn't go well, and there is deep distrust and bad feelings on both sides. But some of the leaders of both factions recognize that conflict doesn't have to be inevitable.
Too bad they don't all feel that way.
When the inevitable violent confrontation happens, it is not treated like an "oh wow, time to blow something up, KEWL" thing. It is almost trudged through, shown with a weary sort of tragedy, not at all glorified.
This is one of those rare sequels that follows up a well made starter film with an even better followup that truly builds on the world established before, rather than merely "aping" the first to try to cash in. The people who are building this world have deep affection for it and a firm idea of where they want to go with it.
Swing on, Apes. Swing on.
In case you are reading this, consider David Tennant or Anthony Stewart Head as Cornelius in the next film.
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