Simply put, this is the best Planet of the Apes movie, period.

If the critics lambaste this one, it will be one of those rare times where I actually

disagree with them.

This thing is far, far, better than any of the Planet of the Apes movies. Better than

the first (Charleston Heston movie), and certainly better than Tim Burton's pointless

and unimaginative reboot.

SPOILERS BELOW: You've been warned!

This one is a retelling of Moses the story through and through. The first scene is

so strikingly done that it's impossible not to be immediately drawn into the story.

Cesar is the main Chimp in the movie, and he eventually rebells against being

a 'pet' of some scientist.

The premise is as silly as it sounds, so bare with me on this. It isn't the premise

of the movie that is its strong card--it's the execution. The CGI rendered apes

from time to time are CGI-like, but it's easily overlooked because of the

manner in which these characters are portrayed.

The Apes are very human in this story. They exhibit bouts and tamtrums that

you connect with. When Cesar loses it during a scene one can see himself

in Cesar's shoes. When Cesar makes the desicion to abandon notions that he

is meant to be one with humans, with regards to the treatment he goes through,

you can see why. Indeed, you'd be souless not the root for him.

For those of you who would see parallels to the story beyond the 'Moses' story,

and infer ratial allegory from the movie, I can say that the creators of the film

took great pains to make this difficult. Where the first Planet of the Apes, starring

Charleston Heston, can be scene as allegory against racism or a caste system,

this one can possibly be seen as pandering to ratial fears of the white man losing

America to blacks and latinos, etc. But the directors are all too obviously aware that this

may be the case, and went through great pains to paint the apes as more human

than most of the people in the movie. Moreover, the CEO or main human (aka figurative head white oppressor)

in the movie, who is soemwhat responsible for the mistreatment of Cesar and fellow apes,

is a black guy who defies most American ratial stereotypes (I believe deliberately).

To up the political correctness factor , the love interest they chose for playing the opposite

of the hot lead actor is an Indian American.

It is still possible, with some persistence to infer a kindler,

gentler white fear of losing domination in this movie if you want to, but it's equally

noticeablet that the creators did not want another Avatar on their hands (that movie

was the clumbsiest piece of pandering to ratial stereotypes ever).

The movie may have deliberately kept this a Moses story to take us away from current

events. It's easier to find allegory in Watership Down than from Rise of the Apes

with links to modern events. This one definately has a biblical feel to it. Only, the Egypt

is San Francisco, and the promised land is the Red Wood forest.

Overall, as with any big budget sci-fi movie, it's imperfect. However, the strength of this

movie is not the CGI animation, not the action sequences, and not concept. It's the

brilliant emotional subtext, the often heart-breaking trials of it's protagonist (a cgi character!),

and the fact that the audience is immediately pulled in and forced to be emotionally involved.

I know some of you will disagree, but this is by far the very best of the Planet of the Apes movies,

and hopefully the start to a very intriguing reboot.

[Edited 8/5/11 5:36am]

i'm watching this today. can't wait!

garganta said:

i'm watching this today. can't wait!

Chile, this is only the second movie in two years that I will go see again in the theatre.

I'm so pissed I had to get up and pee twice.

imago said:

I'm so pissed I had to get up and pee twice.

that's too much piss in one sentence.

garganta said:

imago said:

I'm so pissed I had to get up and pee twice.

that's too much piss in one sentence.

I'm a man with specific needs.

This thread sucks now.

imago said:

This thread sucks now.

It's about to get better.

The reason this movie doesn't excite me is that I assume we humans lose in the end. I mean, we have to lose, right? Because we all know that eventually the apes rule the world.

I don't lump apes in the same category as, say, frogs or MF'ing earwigs, but still I'll root for the humans against any animal, bug or insect.

I can't get excited about going to see something where I know my guys are going to lose.

RodeoSchro said:

imago said:

This thread sucks now.

It's about to get better.

The reason this movie doesn't excite me is that I assume we humans lose in the end. I mean, we have to lose, right? Because we all know that eventually the apes rule the world.

I don't lump apes in the same category as, say, frogs or MF'ing earwigs, but still I'll root for the humans against any animal, bug or insect.

I can't get excited about going to see something where I know my guys are going to lose.

Planet of the Birds - Take Back the Trees!! is the rousing sequel to Planet of the Apes. Birds are not the drama queens that apes are and when you see Birds ruling the world you will understand why it was necessary for things to happen the way they did.

OMG, this thread turned out to be far worse than I could have ever imagined.

I really wanna go see this movie

LionsAndTigers said:

I really wanna go see this movie

You have amazing boobs!

imago said:

LionsAndTigers said:

I really wanna go see this movie

You have amazing boobs!

I know!!

and there it is. My thread is complete.

RodeoSchro said:

imago said:

This thread sucks now.

It's about to get better.

The reason this movie doesn't excite me is that I assume we humans lose in the end. I mean, we have to lose, right? Because we all know that eventually the apes rule the world.

I don't lump apes in the same category as, say, frogs or MF'ing earwigs, but still I'll root for the humans against any animal, bug or insect.

I can't get excited about going to see something where I know my guys are going to lose.

...Even if the humans are the ones in the wrong?

This reminds me of when I watched "Splice". In that movie, to me the ones that are completely human are the real antagonists of the story...

Excited to see this one!

imago said:

garganta said:

i'm watching this today. can't wait!

Chile, this is only the second movie in two years that I will go see again in the theatre.

I'm so pissed I had to get up and pee twice.

I never get up. It's been painful at times and I've been tempted to piss into a cup in my seat but I can't leave.

RodeoSchro said:

imago said:

This thread sucks now.

It's about to get better.

The reason this movie doesn't excite me is that I assume we humans lose in the end. I mean, we have to lose, right? Because we all know that eventually the apes rule the world.

I don't lump apes in the same category as, say, frogs or MF'ing earwigs, but still I'll root for the humans against any animal, bug or insect.

I can't get excited about going to see something where I know my guys are going to lose.

You don't see enough of that, due probably to your expression being the chief reason.

Evolutionarily, unless we find a way off this planet, we are certain to lose as a species. Someday.

Mon said to me the other day, "we're never going to see Dan again, are we?"

Should've given us a shout to go see it with you!

Jess and I are going on Monday

saw it today. Liked it. (Insightful, aren't I?)

garganta said:

I LOVED it!! I rooted for the apes all the way

I found myself rooting for them too.

I wonder how Cesar will be protrayed in upcoming followups.

Obviously, they're painting a much more complex character than in previous editions.

I saw this last night. I enjoyed it overall, but was a little disapppointed with how much "movie" there was without the Apes. Of course Caesar was there the entire time, but I thought the Apes would have taken over earlier.

I also found myself cheering for the Apes - not sure what that says about me . I guess I'm just a sucker for an underdog (or in this case Ape). I loved how most of the Apes looked, except that ugly ass Orangutan! He was horrendus!

Overall the movie was good and it explains why humans were not there - for the most part - in the original "Planet Of The Apes". I assumed we were wiped out by whatever that lab technician/scientist got from the serum.

I would give it 3.5 stars out of 5

-

Shaolin325 said:

I saw this last night. I enjoyed it overall, but was a little disapppointed with how much "movie" there was without the Apes. Of course Caesar was there the entire time, but I thought the Apes would have taken over earlier.

I also found myself cheering for the Apes - not sure what that says about me . I guess I'm just a sucker for an underdog (or in this case Ape). I loved how most of the Apes looked, except that ugly ass Orangutan! He was horrendus!

Overall the movie was good and it explains why humans were not there - for the most part - in the original "Planet Of The Apes". I assumed we were wiped out by whatever that lab technician/scientist got from the serum.

I would give it 3.5 stars out of 5

-

I always thought it had to be a virus that took the human race out, because there simply were not enough apes to do the job on their own.

have not seen it yet ~ but i do remember watching it when i was a kid, and every time it was on tv i thought the apes were more attractive than the ppl

THIS thread is NOT exactly a spoiler at all. The very title of the film alone tells the obvious fact that there will be sequels.

Just saying.

imago said:

garganta said:

I LOVED it!! I rooted for the apes all the way

I found myself rooting for them too.

I wonder how Cesar will be protrayed in upcoming followups.

Obviously, they're painting a much more complex character than in previous editions.

All I want to know is, which side did you root for in RodeoSchro vs. Frogs?

RodeoSchro said:

imago said:

I found myself rooting for them too.

I wonder how Cesar will be protrayed in upcoming followups.

Obviously, they're painting a much more complex character than in previous editions.

All I want to know is, which side did you root for in RodeoSchro vs. Frogs?

Yours of course. I can't take half credit for you if yuo're going to lose!