Rise of the Planet of the Apes [Blu-ray] [2011]

This movie is great. I'm surprised how good this movie is even when comparing it to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War of the Planet of the Apes (because those movies are basically back-to-back masterpieces). Have only minor problems with it, but they are all problems I have when I compare it to the rest of the trilogy. I'd still recommend it to people.

If you are a Planet of The Apes follower this is a great movie.

Great film. Definitely recommend. Will not be disappointed

The original Charlton Heston "Apes" is a film I mostly relegate to childhood memory when I would always seem to catch bits and pieces of it on TV. I never really looked into or realized the subtexts of the story until after Tim Burtons 2001 re-imagining appeared on screen. I have never seen the other films in the original series, but I went into "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" knowing where this all was heading and that is all you really need seeing as this is an origin story. That is part of the intrigue of this project as well, an engaging film has already given us a world audiences are interested in, to see the revolution that led to our roles being switched and how humanity was reduced to nothing more than wild animals ourselves seems, if not only a scheme to make more money off the franchise, at least a credible way to re-boot it. The film has been stacked with A-list actors and top of the line special effects that help create a performance by Andy (Gollum) Serkis as our star ape, Caesar, one of the most memorable and moving performances of the summer. It is a cautionary tale of human ignorance or should I say arrogance and the desire to know more even in the wake of danger. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" doesn't have to give us a reflection of our species as the apes, here, we see our own undoing.

"At age 3, Caesar has completed puzzles ages 8 and up. He has been displaying cognitive skills that far exceed that of a human counterpart." Will (Franco) has been working on a cure for alzheimers. He tests his experiments on apes, and thinks that he has finally found what he is looking for. When one dies during the test he is left to take care of her baby. When he takes the little ape home he begins to notice things that aren't normal. This is another movie that exploded in the theaters and I waited to see it till just the other day. What I have noticed lately is that the longer you wait to see a movie this popular it never lives up to what you expect. When everyone says how good the movie is and it's the best movie they have seen your expectations are too high and it always disappoints. This is the exception. This is truely a great movie that is an absolute must see. I did not like the Marky-Mark "Planet Of The Apes" but this one is nothing like that one. This one actually has a story that keeps you interested and you are hooked in from the beginning. The most amazing part of this movie is that there are large chunks of the movie where there is no dialog at all and until someone says something you don't really notice. This movie sucks you in and keeps hold of you until the ending. A must see. Overall, one of the few movies that can actually live up to the hype it has gotten. I easily give it an A. *Also try - Planet Of The Apes

This movie is a breeze to sit through. Basically a prison escape movie from the Apes' perspective, this kick-started what is (IMO) one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time. This is probably the most accessible and least dark of the newer Apes movies but that doesn't mean this entry holds back. As always, these type of epics look great on 4k and this doesn't disappoint. Also includes the digital copy and blu-ray with special features that are worth delving into.

If you loved the original Planet of the Apes movies, you may not like the new series re-boot. But then again, if you liked the old movies then it may be safe to assume you are a fan of sci-fi, Hollywood films, or interesting stories. This new series is definitely interesting and great movie fun. It has great special effects and even better performances. It takes the Christopher Nolan approach on re telling the origin story by grounding it in a plausible reality. That's the makings of good sci-fi. It lacks the existential 70's flavor of the original films but does an amazing job of introducing a familiar story to new audiences using effects that go way beyond actors wearing masks. The new film only adds to this awesome new series, but this movie is a must for series collectors and anyone who wants a fun movie night. I highly recommend getting this one on Blu-ray.

This film took me and everyone by surprise. I don't think anyone had positive expectations leading into this after the terrible TIm Burton/Mark Wahlberg version in 1999. But I went into it with an open mind and was blown away. It was so great to see this world get an origin story and to see how and why the apes evolved. The performance capture technology is breathtaking. Andy Serkis is amazing and that man should be nominated for and Oscar at some point if they will every consider performance capture legitimate. You could see and feel all the emotions that Caesar was experiencing throughout. So convincing. He was even better in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes(which is even better!!)