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A potent blend of sci-fi spectacle and substance, Matt Reeves' exhilarating interspecies-war drama Dawn of the Planet of the Apes may be the best film in the franchise since the 1968 original, thanks to a perceptive screenplay that delves deep into the tragic nature of conflict and cutting-edge special effects that constantly dazzle. It's been ten years since the Simian Flu wiped out most of humanity, and somewhere deep in the woods outside of San Francisco, Caesar (voice and performance capture by Andy Serkis) and his primate companions have established a thriving village built on the principles of peace and community. Shortly after welcoming a baby brother into the family, Caesar's son Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston) is walking through the forest with his friend Ash (Doc Shaw) when they cross paths with a human named Carver (Kirk Acevedo), who impulsively draws his gun and shoots Ash at the first sign of aggression. As it turns out, Carver is part of a human expedition led by Malcolm (Jason Clarke), who, along with the rest of his crew, races to Carver's side just as Caesar and the rest of the apes answer Blue Eyes' desperate call for help. An enraged Caesar drives the humans away after realizing they are no longer a threat, and decides to dispatch a small crew to follow them rather than yield to the pleas of his aggressive advisor Koba (Toby Kebbell) to launch an all-out attack. Instead, he decides to show the apes' strength by amassing outside of the humans' makeshift community at the base of an unfinished tower, making it unmistakably clear that the two species should remain apart. Meanwhile, the point of the human excursion was to get a dormant dam running again in order to power their community, which will soon be thrust into darkness should they fail to take action. Convinced that he could strike a truce with Caesar that would allow the humans to repair the dam, which is located on the apes' land, Malcolm gets permission from human leader Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) to set out on his mission. Incredibly, thanks to the help of his girlfriend Ellie (Keri Russell), his son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and a few other key allies, Malcolm succeeds. Still, his truce with the apes is a fragile one, and just when it seems that the primates and humans have learned to coexist in peace, a shocking act of betrayal threatens to spark a war that will determine the dominant species. For a while, it was starting to feel as if the best Planet of the Apes films were behind us; between Tim Burton's failed attempt to relaunch the franchise back in 2001 and Rupert Wyatt's commendable yet anticlimatic Rise of the Planet of the Apes a decade later, it seemed as if the original series would forever remain a relic of the tumultuous times when they were made. In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, however, Reeves and screenwriters Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Mark Bomback all display an acute understanding of the deeply humanistic themes that made the initial films resonate so strongly with audiences. Working with the special-effects wizards at Exceptional Minds, Weta Digital, and Soho VFX, the director and writers create a compelling alternate reality that's not only a convincing extension of our own, but one that's inhabited by creatures that are every bit as expressive and believable as their human counterparts. The eyes of the apes in this movie contain a full spectrum of emotions, including heartache, fear, anger, compassion, and shame. In a story examining the complexities of warfare, it's crucial that viewers are able to identify and relate to those feelings, and there isn't a moment in this film when those emotions fail to ring true -- both on the human and simian sides. The ability to recognize those emotions also enhances the impact of the battle between the two species, and each time conflict arises in the movie, there's a tangible sense of the stakes involved. Although the violence in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes at times tests the boundaries of its PG-13 rating, every act of aggression reflects important aspects of the plot and characters. While occasionally excessive, the violence is far from gratuitous, and director Reeves occasionally adds stylistic touches that give it added impact -- especially in a showstopping scene set on a tank. And as the catalyst for this brutality, the character of Koba is played with chilling, warmongering efficiency by British actor Toby Kebbell, who easily holds his own opposite the immensely talented Andy Serkis. On the human side, Clarke continues the solid streak he's been riding ever since his role in Zero Dark Thirty, and Oldman serves as the frightening personification of the power of fear. So while it's undeniable that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is science fiction, it pays to remember that the most effective sci-fi holds a mirror to the surroundings in which it was conceived. By fully immersing us in a fantasy world that feels completely authentic, Reeves and his team not only succeed in recapturing the spirit of the original series (which is also echoed in Michael Giacchino's knowingly retro score), but in making its thought-provoking themes of sociopolitical tolerance relevant through skillful storytelling and stunning effects work. If we can just set aside our prejudice and arrogance long enough to recognize the value in this type of movie, perhaps we can learn to start building each other up again, rather than constantly tearing each other down.
Condition:NEW. Brand New Factory Sealed
Product Details
Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Color, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, 3D, Widescreen
Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Dubbed: French, Spanish
Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: December 2, 2014
Run Time: 130 minutes
Cast & Crew
Jason Clarke Malcolm
Gary Oldman Dreyfus
Keri Russell Ellie
Kodi Smit-McPhee Alexander
Kirk Acevedo Carver
Judy Greer Cornelia
Andy Serkis Caesar
Toby Kebbell Koba
Karin Konoval Maurice
Terry Notary Rocket
Enrique Murciano Jr. Kemp
Nick Thurston Blue Eyes
Jon Eyez Foster
Laramie Shaw Ash (as Doc Shaw)
Lee Ross Grey
Keir O'Donnell Finney
Kevin Rankin McVeigh
Jocko Sims Werner
Al Vicente Man 1
Matthew James Man 2
Richard King Stone
Scott Lang Luca
Deneen Tyler Woman
Mustafa Harris Officer
Lombardo Boyar Terry
Mike Seal Driver
J.D. Evermore Sniper
Chase Boltin Recruit
Michael Papajohn Cannon-Gunner
Thomas Rosales Jr. Old Man
Carol Sutton Old Woman
Christopher Berry Gun-Clinching Man
Technical Credits
Matt Reeves Director
William Shackleton Arnot Camera Operator
Derrick Auyoung Animator
Christopher Barnett Sound Editor
John Bellas Animator
John Berger Set Decoration/Design
Jon Block Animator
Moragot Bodharamik Animator
Mark Bomback Executive Producer, Screenwriter
Melissa Bruning Costumes/Costume Designer
Tom Del Campo Animator
Matthieu Chardonnet Special Effects
Peter Chernin Producer
Eddie Chew Animator
James Chinlund Production Designer
Dylan Clark Producer
David Crone Camera Operator
Ryan Cronin Animator
Brandon Davis Special Effects
Weta Digital Animator
George Duemlein Special Effects
Mathew Dunne Asst. Director
Areito Echevarria Special Effects
Samantha Erickstad Special Effects
John Farrow Special Effects
Oliver Ferguson Special Effects
Will E. Files Sound/Sound Designer
Richard Frances-Moore Animator
Shaun Friedberg Animator
Dustin Frost Editor
Michael Giacchino Score Composer
Daniel B. Gold Camera Operator
Juan Jose Guiraldes Animator
Thomas M. Hammel Executive Producer
Aaron Haye Art Director
Warren Hendriks Sound Editor
Mark Hitchler Set Decoration/Design
William Hoy Editor
Luis G. Hoyos Set Decoration/Design
Florian Hu Special Effects
Kelvin Humenny Art Director
David Humphreys Animator
William Hunter Art Director
Nicholas Illingworth Special Effects
Rick Jaffa Producer, Screenwriter
John Johansson Special Effects
Martha Johnston Set Decoration/Design
Will Kistler Animator
Matt Kutcher Special Effects Supervisor
Keith Lackey Animator
Jason Lazaroff Special Effects Supervisor
Sean Seongkyun Lee Special Effects
Brad Lincoln Animator
Helen Luttrell Sound Editor
Jade Mansueto Animator
Jason Marconi Animator
Peter McCaffrey Camera Operator
Orlando Meunier Animator
Douglas Murray Sound/Sound Designer
Brendan Naylor Special Effects
Alex Nowotny Special Effects Supervisor
Anton Ognyev Special Effects
Greg Papalia Set Decoration/Design
Ignacio Bayardo Peña Animator
Keith Peterman Camera Operator
Scott Plauche Art Director
Eddy Purnomo Special Effects
Trey Roane Animator
Niall Ryan Special Effects
Stan Salfas Editor
Christopher Schenck Camera Operator
Richard Schexnayder Sound Mixer
Sebastian H. Schmidt Special Effects
Ben Segall Animator
Michael Seresin Cinematographer
Amanda Silver Producer, Screenwriter
John Sore Animator
Elwaleed Suliman Animator
Jonathan S. Swartz Special Effects
Donald Sylvester Sound Editor
Felix Telfer Special Effects
Jennifer Teves Associate Producer
Jenno Topping Executive Producer
Sebastian Trujillo Animator
Ed White Sound Mixer
Heather Willman Executive Producer
Leon Woud Animator
Nelson Yu Animator
Debra Zane Casting
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