Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes [Blu-ray]

I caught a few minutes of this on TV one night and said that actually looked like it might be good. I usually prefer old classics, "The African Queen," "Sahara," "The Sand Pebbles" and such and usually feel that Hollywood needs to actually get some writers and directors to their job and come up with something original. Special effects and CGI will only make you go "wow" for so long. So, I wound up ordering Rise of the Planet of the Apes from Amazon a few days later. This modern version of the Planet of the Apes has really made me put those feelings aside especially after seeing the earlier Planet of the Apes movie which did not do the original movies any justice. The director did a good job letting you know what the apes had in mind as they would zoom in on an object and put you in the shoes (if they wore shoes) of the ape. It was also very easy to tell who was the writers wanted to be the bad guy or good guy in this movie. When the apes would show a sign of submission to one other they had a vet from a nearby zoo point this out early which made some scenes later on easier to understand. It was almost like the original movie backwards in some ways, the end of the movie has a closing scene with an ape on a horseback charging humans. What is more important though is an earlier scene in the movie with Caesar putting the final piece in of a Statue of Liberty puzzle. The movie has plenty of surprises including a few scenes that you believed Caesar was going to 'take revenge' on someone but in all actuality Caesar would play the upper hand and really make a 'monkey' out of a former bully or foe. There are also some throwbacks to the original movie as well, lines such as "take your paws off me you 'darn' dirty ape!" and the news scenes with the spaceship Icarus is likely a throwback to the original movies as well. Icarus is also a mortal from Greek Mythology who was able to fly on wings made of wax and feathers and was too proud to heed advice about being careful. With this pride he ignored the advice given and flew too close to the sun and the wax melted. Two big plot holes existed regarding the ALZ 113, that I noticed. First, Franklin was infected with the new ALZ 113 virus and never appeared to become smarter. Second, when the apes free the apes at the Zoo, the Zoo apes at that time had no exposure to the virus and would have had average ape intelligence. Wouldnt they have considered these other apes as intruders and defended their turf instead of instantly joining them? My favorite scene in the movie is one that some might have missed. You would have noticed Caesar and Maurice (the Orangutan that Caesar was teaching to sign) together. Caesar took a stick, showed it to Maurice and broke it. Then he took several sticks held together and showed Maurice that they couldn't be broken when together. This was not Caesar showing Maurice how to make tools or just killing time. I think this was a plan on a strategy that Julius Caesar used in his time of "divide et impera." Translated "divide and Rule." IE, "United we stand, divided we fall." The original Planet of the Apes movies that many of us grew up with usually had hidden lessons as well. This movie obviously does as well and shows us that if we all stick together nothing is impossible. Certainly the apes showed us this by leaving you surprised at the ending. I don't want to ruin it! The ending was such that they have fantastic potential for several sequels. BUY it, watch it, review it!!!!

Came in as advertised!

First of all, the film itself. I didn't catch this in theaters but I was aware of all the positive buzz, and I'm a big fan of the original Planet of the Apes movie (don't really care much about the sequels), and I already thought this movie looked interesting. I've watched it twice, and I must say that I really LOVED it the 2nd time. This movie is a terrific reboot/origin story for this series, and while it pays homage to the original, it still manages to be its own film. I loved how focused the movie is; the story is simple but very well thought out and executed. The film doesn't get bogged down in unecessary subplots. And the character of Caesar (especially thanks to Andy Serkis) is one of my favorite charatcers in any film. The CGI is excellent; of course you can tell the apes aren't real, but the CGI is still so lifelike. Also, the fact that they used motion captures made the apes feel like real creatures. Some people might say that this is a cash-in on the older series, but it isn't. It's a new take on the story and a great one at that. It's definitely one of the best films of 2011. As for the Blu-Ray itself, it's very crisp and clean and the colors pop out at you. The sound is great. The biggest selling point is the extra, since there are some great ones here. There are many featurettes showing the making of the film, from the motion capture performances to the score of the film, etc. One of my favorite features is a mini-documentary about the great apes, covering chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. These animals are beautiful and fascinating, and the viewer really gets to learn some amazing facts about them if they didn't know them already. All in all, this is a great Blu-Ray release of a great movie. It was a blind buy for me and I wasn't disappointed. The Transformers films could learn a few things from this one.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes may be the first film of the summer that has surpassed reasonable expectations and delivered a completely compelling story along with amazing special effects and credible suspense. Make no mistake this is anything but a cheap capitalization on a known franchise but instead works exceptionally well as a standalone movie that will leave audiences hoping that the journey can continue beyond the satisfying conclusion. The story begins with a geneticist (James Franco) who is working on a cure for Alzheimer's disease with testing being done on chimps. A breakthrough is made when one in particular shows signs of greatly increased intelligence however due to an incident the test subjects are eliminated except for a baby that Franco's character secretly takes home and raises with his Alzheimer's suffering father. They name him Caesar and the relationships built are genuine and provide that connection so critical in order to increase the impact of events later in the film. The drug that was given to the apes in the lab was passed on to Caesar through his mom. Eventually he outgrows the domestic situation and his protective instincts take over which results in him being forced into a sanctuary and amongst other apes - a foreign situation considering he had only lived with humans and never had any interaction with his own species. After a rough start there he begins the revolution by uniting the apes and leading an escape. Caesar is very much the lead character in the movie, and though Franco's character provides an emotional attachment and the presence that ties the developments together and lead Caesar down his path, it's quite possible that not a single human character's name will be remembered. They take a backseat to Caesar and the apes who are fascinating to watch not just in their actions but in the way they can deliver their emotions, thoughts, and communicate without needing dialogue to do so. That is a huge credit to Andy Serkis who once again comes through with amazing performances that were captured and then animated over. There is no understating how fantastic the special effects for the apes are and how important that is - it would be much more difficult to sympathize with their plights otherwise. It's always appreciated when a film can place the audience in a position where they have to question what side they are actually rooting for because all those involved can justify their actions in some form or fashion. Though it works completely on its own there are also some great callbacks to the Planet of the Apes of the past. One in particular is somewhat distracting but is followed by probably the most powerful moment in the film so it can't be faulted for that too much. Fans of the prior installments will appreciate all of those instances otherwise. The movie is most surprising in its sincerity as it provides a compelling character study of Caesar. Beyond that it could leave audiences questioning the morality of testing and the general perception of other species as humans sit atop of the food chain - thankfully it never preaches on any of those subjects however. By challenging the audience and leaving them invested in the outcome, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the most satisfying film this summer has had to offer.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes follows Will Rodman (James Franco) as he attempts to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease; he conducts his tests on apes, and eventually saves a baby chimp, Caesar (Andy Serkis), by adopting him; Cesar, however, has inherited the intelligence of his mother, who received it through previous tests, and eventually starts an ape revolution after a series of unfortunate events. (The story is a lot deeper, but I want to keep the summary short.) Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a visually-stunning and epic film. The story in this film is engaging and immersive; the story can often be touching, sad, and even brutal. The relationship between Will and Cesar was great, and felt authentic, despite one character being computer. On that point, the visual effects are amazing in this film; the visuals are crisp, and the animations/movements are smooth, and the facial expressions were extremely detailed. The entire story was entertaining, keeping a SciFi vibe throughout, and ending with an epic, jaw-dropping action sequence. My only slight issue was the actual ending; Cesar and Will have a final confrontation that felt a bit rushed, or incomplete. (Maybe because of the upcoming sequel?) The film is beautiful, the music was enchanting and epic, and the acting was great from the entire cast. The Blu-Ray version of the film looks absolutely amazing and sounds great; this is a film worth owning on Blu-ray or viewing on HD. It comes with one disc for the Blu-ray, another disc for the DVD + Digital Copy, and a slip cover. Overall, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a great SciFi film, with a touching yet epic storyline and amazing visual effects. I highly recommend a purchase for fans of the genre. Rise of the Planet of the Apes has some violence and blood, no sex or nudity.

If you haven't seen this movie please continue watching it once the initial credits come on after the "ending" where the lead ape speaks. I almost missed that FINAL scene first time I saw the movie. If you know the history of this story, the final scene with the mean neighbor/airline pilot and the implication that a disease he contracted when Caesar bit him during a fight will infect the rest of the world his plane flies do, you'll enjoy it even more. I hate it when movie makers begin the credits when there is still an important scene to show! A lot of folks had already left the theater and didn't get to see it. Thank God there was slow moving crowd in front of me... I saw the original Planet of Apes several years ago and loved it. I didn't care much for the sequels that followed, especially the remark with Mark Wahlberg. With the exception of The Godfather, I had not seen ONE sequel of any other movie I liked. This prequel is outstanding! I sat through it three times in a row and then returned to various theaters on five other ocassions to see it again. I can't wait for the DVD to be released! I loved James Franco, his leading lady, John Lithgow, and the African scientist Steven Jacobs (he was also fantastic as Idi Amin's doctor in Last King of Scotland). However, if anyone in this movie deserves the oscar or any other award, it's man who played Caeser, the leader of the Apes. What truly impressed me about this movie was the fact that the apes look so real! I saw a special documentary on cable where they showed the "apes" in human form and then how they made them look like real apes through some kind of computer enhancement. Being a Bay Area resident, the 'Frisco setting--especially all of the action on the Golden Gate Bridge was fantastic. Once the apes triumphed and the cops on the bridge took off running, everyone in the movie theater, especially me cheered and clapped for the apes!

This is an exceptionally well crafted sci/fi movie. I have seen all the "POTA" movies including the lame Tim Burton/Mark Wahlberg remake of 2001; but it matters not whether you have seen them, as this is a prequel to the 1968 Charlton Heston original. It borrows a few plot points from the fourth "POTA" film, which was also an origin story; but it doesn't borrow much. Bottom line, this film stands on its own, which is fine; because it is likely the beginning of many sequels to follow. The tagline for the movie is "Evolution becomes revolution"; but the source for the intelligence of the apes in this film is not natural evolution, but genetic engineering intended to create a cure for Alzheimer's. The retrovirus developed from the engineering does indeed temporarily cure Alzheimer's, but it exponentially enhances the intelligence of the test apes...and it is genetically passed on to their progeny. James Franco, in another fine performance, is Will Rodman, the genetic engineer who develops the retrovirus. He adopts a baby chimp, he names Caesar, after the chimp's mother, the main test ape, turns violent and has to be put down. The retrovirus is not approved for human use, but Rodman uses it on his father, excellent portrayal by John Lithgow, and the temporary result is extraordinary. Caesar has inherited his mother's intelligence...he is played superbly by Andy Serkis (Gollum in the "LOTR Trilogy") using motion capture technology...and his intelligence continues to improve. That will set the stage; if you are intrigued so far, watch this fine sci/fi actioner to see how it plays out. In addition to the actors named, look for Tom Felton as a sadistic animal keeper and Freida Pinto as Rodman's love interest. If you are a fan of well made, intelligent science fiction, you will love this. Can't wait for the next sequel!

Amazing film

One word: WOW! Oh My, words cannot describe how amazing these movies are! The Planet of the Apes Rebooted Trilogy stands as one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time. All 3 movies are perfect. I can't speak for the box set as its not released yet but as for the films: RISE of the Planet of the Apes - A brilliant, clever re-invention of the Apes franchise, the plot is amazing, the characters are all well done and it doesn't stray from focusing on Caesar, and the end is EPIC! DAWN of the Planet of the Apes - An even more impressive continuation after RISE. The plot revolving the human characters is basic, but you have great drama and conflict, when the finale hits its enthralling. There are some brilliant emotional moments also. WAR For the Planet of the Apes - A Fantastic conclusion to Caesar's story. In the words of Woody Harrelson's Colonel, "So emotional!" Haha. In all seriousness its a superb movie with so many emotional moments. its not as action packed as the title would suggest but don't let that throw you cause there is some action. Its a great character piece. I love the callbacks to the original film of 1968. Its dark, brutal and emotionally satisfying and it has a masterful music score. All 3 films are visually stunning and some of the most dramatic movies of the 21st century, other filmmakers should take note from Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves, these are masterpieces. Highly recommended not to be missed and these 3 films top the other 6 Apes movies, yes even the original 1968 movie. All 3 I would score a 10/10 not to be missed! If you haven't seen these films you are missing out!

Alors voilà l'un des films qui m'a le plus impressionné en cette année 2011, et il ne reste pas beaucoup de temps pour me faire changer d'avis... Proposée dans un superbe coffret métal, cette 1ère réalisation de grande envergure pour Rupert Wyatt, plutôt inconnu jusque là, est une franche réussite, et cela à plusieurs niveaux. La mythologie de la planète des singes tout d'abord, parfaitement respectée par ce film, qui est même bourré de petites références à l'original de 68 (reportage télé sur le décollage d'Icarius, 1ère page de journal « Lost in Space ? ») et le réalisateur s'est donc attaché à nous proposer un spectacle dans la « prétinuité » (ouh le beau néologisme ;-) ) de ce que nous avons déjà vu... En cela déjà, c'est appréciable ! Il ne faut pas oublier de saluer les scénaristes Rick Jaffa et Amanda Silver (qui a notamment écrit l'excellent thriller La Main sur le berceau ) ! Ces 2 là se sont déjà croisés à l'écriture de The Relic , film d'horreur plutôt sympa ! Mais pour en revenir à nos origines, cette écriture est brillante ! On en apprend finalement beaucoup, et je ne vais pas aller plus loin, je ne voudrais pas spoiler... Mais je trouve que le déroulement du scénario est excellent. Le jeu des acteurs est correct, James Franco, qui empile les tournages à vitesse grand V actuellement, nous propose une prestation de qualité, mais les véritables héros de ce film, ce sont bien sûr les singes, au 1er rang desquels Caesar (j'en profite pour saluer l'extraordinaire performance d'Andy Serkis, Grand Maître de la Motion Capture puisque déjà interprète de Gollum dans LOTR) et cela m'amène sur le grand attrait de ce film : les effets spéciaux et la magique Motion Capture (déjà utilisée, évidemment, dans Le Seigneur des Anneaux , dans Avatar ou dans La légende de Beowulf pour ne citer que les plus célèbres). Mais ici, dans ce film mêlant beaucoup plus de décors naturels que dans Avatar, elle prend une tout autre dimension... elle devient magique... C'est sans commune mesure avec la création et intégration pure d'effets spéciaux, pour exemple, en motion capture, l'acteur « réel » peut s'adresser directement à l'acteur « effets spéciaux », les yeux dans les yeux, le rendu après intégration du singe est exceptionnel, par opposition, par exemple, au Jar Jar Binks de Star Wars La Menace Fantôme , lorsque les acteurs s'adressent à lui, des fois, on a l'impression qu'ils regardent à côté ou au dessus de lui... C'est gênant... J'en arrive tout naturellement sur le Bluray : L'image : L'intégration des effets spéciaux est extraordinaire, et même le transfert HD ne parvient pas à mettre en doute la qualité des effets spéciaux, car souvent la HD est impitoyable et les fait ressortir de façon grotesque. Ici, rien de cela, ils sont parfaitement intégrés et on n'y voit quasiment que du feu ! Il est vrai que la qualité de cette intégration est aidée par le fait que l'image n'est pas des plus propres, beaucoup de petits défauts (jusque dans la définition de certains plans) apparaissent mais cela répond à la volonté du réalisateur de faire un film à l'aspect réaliste, et non pas un empilement ultra numérique et totalement stérile, et le résultat est franchement superbe. Le son - VO DTS HD MA 5.1 et une VF DTS : Je commencerai par le mixage, tout à fait exceptionnel... Les surrounds sont totalement optimisées et on profite d'un grand spectacle sonore, sans overdose, avec un mix qui nous place en totale immersion dans le film ! Comme pour les effets spéciaux, c'est magique ! Les grands effets du film sont tonitruants (hurlements de singes, déplacements dans les arbres, pluie etc.) et les basses ne sont pas en reste ! On regrette évidemment l'absence de VF HD, et même si je souligne que la VF bénéficie du même mixage et donc du même placement des effets surrounds, en terme d'impact et de puissance, elle ne tient pas la distance avec la superbe VO. En conclusion, l'un des meilleurs de la mythologie Planète des Singes, on retrouve l'écriture brillante qui a servi l'original, en y ajoutant les effets spéciaux derniers cris, le tout pour 1h45 de spectacle total, conclu par un générique de fin excellent ! (ne le coupez pas tout de suite, il y a encore un scénette !). Enfin, je ne serai pas tout à fait complet si je ne précisais pas qu'il y a des bonus passionnants, notamment sur le travail d'Andy Serkis et donc sur la Motion Capture, à voir absolument ! Film : 4.5/5 Image : 5/5 Son : 4.5/5 (- 1/2 point pour la VF non HD...)

performance technique, prouesse technologique, les poils du nez du personnage principale se hérissent à la moindre étincelle qui pourrait mettre le feu aux poudres. impressionnant, malgré quelques longueurs scénaristiques, on le sent vivant et crédible, à tel point que, notre adn pourrait viré tellement il est attachant et plein de bon sens. un miroir qui nous projette notre propre image d'il y a plusieurs milliers d'années.

good

Bei Planet der Affen: Prevolution handelt es sich um die Vorgeschichte zu Planet der Affen, es könnte aber durchaus ein eigenständiger Film sein. Man muss die anderen Teile der Reihe nicht kennen oder gesehen haben um das Prequel zu mögen! Soviel vorweg. Das Prequel erzählt die Geschichte vom kleinen Affen Caesar, der bei einem Wissenschaftler aufwächst und intelligenter als andere Affen ist. Aufgrund eines Vorfalls mit dem Nachbarn wird er zusammen mit anderen Affen eingesperrt und die Geschichte nimmt ihren Lauf... Auf die Story will ich an dieser Stelle auch nicht weiter eingehen, wurde in anderen Rezensionen schon ausführlich beschrieben, außerdem will ich nicht zuviel verraten. Ich möchte mich auf die BluRay inkl. Extras konzentrieren und erläutern warum ich 5 Sterne vergeben habe! Ich habe lange keinen so emotionalen und tiefgründigen Science-Fiction/Actionfilm gesehen wie Prevolution. Ich weiß nicht ob sich der Film überhaupt einem bestimmten Genre zuordnen lässt, fällt mir schwer. Wirklich positiv überrascht hat mich die absolut starke Leistung von Andy Serkis, der den Affen Caesar spielt (Motion Capture, kein Kostüm). Man kennt Andy Serkis aus Herr der Ringe, dort hat er Gollum gespielt. Ohne diese Mimik und Gestik hätte der Film keinesfalls die Wirkung, da viele Szenen ohne Sprache auskommen und ein Großteil der Wirkung auf den Zuschauer auch über Nahaufnahmen der Augen stattfindet. Es ist aber auch interessant wie die Technik voranschreitet und anstelle von 100% CGI Affen Menschen mit Sensoren umherlaufen. Im Making Of wird gezeigt wie die echten Affen studiert wurden und die Darsteller geschult wurden um sich natürlich zu bewegen und zu verhalten. Ich finde es erstaunlich welcher Aufwand dahintersteckt und finde es hat sich bei diesem Film komplett bezahlt gemacht. Planet der Affen hat mich von der ersten bis zur letzten Minute in den Bann gezogen und bewegt. Im Prequel geht es noch nicht um die Herrschaft der Affen sondern um einen jungen, intelligenten, kritischen Affen der heranwächst und sich für eine Seite entscheiden muss. Die Umsetzung ist perfekt gelungen, meine Erwartungen an den Film wurden übertroffen! Nun zur Bild- und Tonqualität: Das Bild ist gestochen scharf, so wie es sein muss. In den Nahaufnahmen der Gesichter / der Affen ist jedes Detail zu erkennen, kräftige Farben, einfach perfekt. Der deutsche Ton liegt leider "nur" in DTS 5.1 vor während der englische Originalton in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 vorliegt. Die Tonspur kann sich aber hören lassen, schöne räumliche Abmischung, viele Effekte, deutliche Stimmen und ein präsenter Bass, vor allem beim Showdown auf der Golden Gate Bridge. Auch die sonstige musikalische Untermalung ist bestens auf die jeweiligen Szenen abgestimmt, kein Anlass zur Kritik! Das Bonusmaterial der BluRay fällt ziemlich umfangreich aus und beinhaltet die folgenden Extras: - Entfallene und erweiterte Szenen (11 an der Zahl) - Mythologie der Affen - Andy Serkis, das Genie - Eine neue Generation von Affen - Entstehung einer Filmszene - Konzeptzeichnungen der Charaktere - Revolution des Motion Capture Verfahrens - Komposition der Filmmusik - Die Menschenaffen (Schimpanse, Gorilla, Orang-Utan) - Audiokommentar - Live Extras (erfordert Internetanschluss) Besonders interessant fand ich die Doku über das Motion Capture Verfahren und Andy Serkis! Auch die Doku über die Menschenaffen hat mir gefallen (BBC Stil). Die BluRay besitzt glücklicherweise ein Wendecover und beinhaltet neben der Haupt-Disc noch eine DVD mit der Digital Copy für PC und mobile Endgeräte! Planet der Affen: Prevolution (der englische Titel "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" passt eigentlich besser) zählt ab heute zu meinen Lieblingsfilmen und verdient die volle Punktzahl!