This movie was great. Even if you haven't seen the original "Planet of the Apes" series (which you should) this movie is still entertaining. The computer graphics are superb, the actors do a good job, and the movie does what it sets out to do. It delivers in nearly every department, except none of the human characters are interesting. All of them are rather bland or unlikable, but the apes are the center of this film, and you'll be rooting for them the whole movie. The action scenes are riveting and exciting and will keep you on the edge of your seat. This movie is definitely worth seeing and is very good, but not extraordinary.… Expand

Nonsense. Just that simple. Scene 1: Cesar, a new born chimpanzee needs 8 YEARS to become fully intelligent. Scene 2: The rest of the other apes takes 4 HOURS to become as smart. Scene 1: In the ape`s shelter the cages are hidden and the playground looks innocent and nice. Scene 2: The cages now surrounds the playground so Cesar can be encouraged by his similars. Scene 1:About 20 apes escapes from the shelter.
Scene 2: More than 200 apes appears in the hill only few hour latter. (¿mitosis?)

Scene 1: Tormented scientific resign and claims for the end of ALZ113 development.
Scene 2: Same scientific has the lethal formula on his fridge.

An so on...the speaking ape, the stupid police, the gorillas climbing threes...etc.
NONSENSE.Just that simple.… Expand

Even if you're not an "Apes" fan, moviegoers will appreciate the heart, intellect, and sheer excitement loaded into this blockbuster. Its a welcome surprise, and sure to be one of the most thrilling (and dare I say moving) pictures of the year.

In the end, this film was too predictable and preposterous. There are a lot of eye rolling moments, such as the humans are all stupid, the corporation greedy at all costs, the animal shelter that abuses animals, shooting lots of apes with machine guns at close range never hitting any, an army of apes that appear apparently from nowhere, etc. etc. The film has nothing original to offer at all and is a conglomeration of many other films. If you're young and haven't seen as many movies as I have you will enjoy it a lot more than I did. The CGI and special effects are very good and there is no slow parts so it did hold my attention. Not a bad movie but made more for the action than the plausibility.… Expand

An excellent movie that entertains throughout and maintains a decent respect for the audience's mental capabilities. Especially impressive is the character development for the ape characters given their lack of spoken dialogue. Well worth the watch!

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is a good movie; it delivers the ending that creates a bridge to the 1970's "Planet of the Apes" using great CGI and Andy Serkis' powerful performance. However, like "X men: First Class", the movie precedes with a linear story that concentrates on heavy action clashed by two seperate sides (In this case, human v.s apes).

Fantastic movie which has very good emotional scenes and some other well filmed action scenes. All the plot is detailed and concise (eg his father's "problem" or his relationship with "her") when it needs to be. It will thrill you, but it isn't as shocking as the 1968 film, probably because you know the ending if you have seen the aforementioned film.

Honestly, no need for a real review, just go see it. This is one of this summers best films that needed no hype, no heavy marketing, just a great story, with great acting and amazing special effects. One for fans and newcomers alike. Don't miss this flick!

The visual effects are superb and Serkis' performance as Caesar is terrific, but the film is too one dimensional and simple minded to be truly engaging. None of the humans in the film are particularly interesting or complex so you find yourself rooting for the apes to do their thing which doesn't take place until the final act. Most perplexing is why Franco chose this film as a follow up to 127 hours. He basically serves as a piece of human scenery.… Expand

Although the live action stars didn't do very well. The incredible performance from Andy Serkis makes up for it. This film is also one of the most entertaining film's in a long time with great visual effects with it. I give this movie an 85% of a good movie.

Who knew a chimpanzee could be so cool, affecting and one of the best character this year. It's Caesar (played by Andy Serkis, which he did a phenomenal job) , ladies and gentlemen, a surprising animal that you will get attached to. So the movie starts a little slow. It's the beginning when Will Rodman (James Franco) adopts the chimpanzee, and starts to build a relationship. Then the story progresses quickly, until things are about to get real (when the apes escape). The first part is more about whats going on with the drug (a cure for Alzheimer tested on the chimpanzees) and the situation with Caesar, but it's still intriguing. Then the other part is the action. What I liked about '' Rise of the Planet of the Apes '' is that you can feel the chemistry between Will and Caesar. Also, there were some awesome parts that I wouldn't expected to be in the story. It's one of the best movies that came out this summer.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have never seen the original movie, but that doesn't mean i can't say that it was awsome! The growth of Caesar and the revealing of the power of the "Cure" kept you from getting the re-fills. There were a lot of scenes that amazed you, such as Caesar talking and when he did new things due to the "Cure". Although it wasn't the first ever of the movie, i still have to give props to the writters. No movie is perfect, but for a movie in it's catagory, it comes pretty close.… Expand

When this movie was announced, I was a little sceptical mainly due to fact that the last Planet of the apes movie sucked. I was surprised how good this film is. James Franco puts on a top performance as does John Leithgow. While the plot takes a while to get interesting, the outcome is sweet bliss.CGI is brilliant, even more so than avatar. This movie in brilliant and I highly recomend this to anyone… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was pleasantly surprised. Caesar (Andy Serkis) is incredible throughout, and the movie is worth seeing for his performance alone. Franco is decent, and Pinto is just a throw-in, but the story is solid. You knew that with the PG-13 rating, you're not going to see a ton of human carnage at the hands of the apes. (Yes, there are exceptions.) I'd have to agree with most of the critics that it's one of the best summer action flicks - and better than just about every comic book hero flick in my mind. (There's an additional scene shortly after the credits begin, but nothing post-credits, so no need to wait for it - fyi.)… Expand

Andy Serkis was very good playing as Caesar who has very emotions that what he can do is to become a great ape since he did Gollum and King Kong. That chimpanzee looks very dark and the way he control his mind that he's turning one of them that humans face control on apes. Now this is new Planet of the Apes that people enjoy it so much and I watch this movie that it's more better than the Tim Burton version that doesn't hold up for now. I'm very impress that this reboot of Planet of the Apes is very strange story than the old version. I love the old version that has design of costumes, silly apes, great acting of over the top of any human could scream like Charlton Heston, and the story was great at times. But far from now, the new was pretty good that has best special effects that apes can do and of course Andy Serkis gets the best. Rise of the Planets of the Apes was very good, fun, and far fetch to the top of Planet of the Apes, although is not that amazing, but I can say was very cool to watch!… Expand

Actually not bad. Doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is - a sci-fi thriller with little resemblance to the real world. On that count it succeeds. I genuinely felt for Caesar, the head-ape, and that's testament to the motion capture acting and CGI . I was rooting for the apes the whole way through and in that sense its a little like watching a football match. Apes Vs Humans. You want to see your side fight with some heart, play to the whistle and come out on top, knowing that victory will be so sweet. But the thrill of the competition fades soon enough, at which point your attention turns to more important matters. Enjoyable enough, despite the cardboard acting of James Franco. Only downside is now I want a chimpanzee.… Expand

1st Point : This is a science fiction movie. 2nd If you are going to the movie theater expecting that you'll watch a movie based on "Reality" please don't go.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is Absolutely one of the best movies of the years and the best of "Planet of Apes"

This prequel explains how the apes took over the earth, setting the stage for the original 1968 film. James Franco stars as a scientist testing a miracle cure on chimps until bad luck and mean humans upset everything. The plot is interesting and well told until the less-than-spectacular revolt. Disappointingly, the CGI apes are never convincing and that prevents full enjoyment.

After seeing the conclusion to the Harry Potter series, there was another franchise I had to follow: The Planet of The Apes series. Before I begin reviewing this one, I have a confession to make: I never saw any of the planet of the apes films (like I said in my review of the remake). Yeah, shocking wasn't it? But I did heard that they were very creative films. So, after seeing Tim Burton's disappointing remake, I saw the trailer for this movie when I saw Captain America: The First Avenger and I was so amazed I wanted to see it so badly. A few days later, I've succeeded in seeing it and boy was I impressed at how good it was. I'm not gonna write the plot because it's unnecessary, so I'm just gonna go with my opinion.

Visual/Setting: The story revolves around San Francisco which is a very nice place to film this movie and was very creative.

Plot/Premise: The plot was perfectly well-paced. The premise about the intelligent animals taking over the world was a very smart idea ever to put on film.

Acting/Characters: Every actor you see has great talent. James Franco did an amazing as the main character even he and his love interest played by Freida Pinto were enjoyable. Andy Serkis gave out his excellent performance as Caesar, the intelligent ape and the leader of the clan. The rest of the actors, including Tom Felton from Harry Potter, were very entertaining.

Action/CGI: This movie is packed with incredible action scenes with the apes that were very important to the story and the CGI effects along with motion capture were very solid.

Problem: The ending was completely weak and gave me a WTF moment.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is not only an excellent reboot of a soon-will-become franchise, but one of the greatest movies of the year next to some of my favorites.

90/100 A-… Expand

Just a good movie. The story was pretty great, it was entertaining and moving. The performance of James Franco and Andy Serkis of course were fantastic. The directing was great. Just a great movie, most likely one of the best of the summer.

A great reboot of a very long running franchise. It gives you exactly what you expect when you buy a ticket, and even a little bit more. The apes are incredibly life-like and real, and Andy Serkis gives the performance of a lifetime as Caesar. In reality James Franco isn't the protagonist, Serkis is. Franco is more there to allow Caesar to be able to become the protagonist. But, that aside, a great movie all in all. There are tons of great references to the original movie, some being a bit cheesier then others. It is not as good as the original, it is far better then the 2001 remake, and is better then Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, it's equivalent film. Serkis, along with Alan Rickman for Harry Potter will be the two biggest snubs at this years Oscar's, when they should win. 9/10.… Expand

This movie shows that each and every living being wants freedom and wants to live life by there way. This movie has great meaning in it. It is full of action, love, emotion & APES.

The Good: Great acting, greatest CGI character ever, entertaining, touching, and a true reboot to the original. The Bad: Special effects were a little shaky in parts, undertones were too strong, and the science was too shallow. When a sci-fi movie comes out, I always have to compare it to Jurassic Park in terms of story telling. Jurassic Park took a real premise and put their own twist on it and bent it to fit their lore and they made it work with precision. One of my main gripes with this film is that it never sets you to truly believe in the lore. Unlike Jurassic Park, where they explained everything and showed intelligent thought behind it, Rise of the Apes is just flat, just hoping that the audience will buy into "hey apes are smart" and never question it. Now I know this is a sci-fi movie, so I understand that to a certain extent "turning off your brain" is required, but this film simply milked that requirement too much, this wasn't something that ruined the movie, but it was significantly more than a gripe, because while watching the movie, in the back of my mind i kept saying to myself that this is impossible on so many levels and i demanded answers and the movie never truly filled that gap. However, the shaky special effects is nothing more than a gripe, this movie did go out of its way to shove its undertones down your throat. It plays the cards of: Animal cruelty, animal testings, big corporations are bad and just want money, and etc. Whether you agree with what its saying is irrelevant, it got to the point where the undertones were just obnoxious. Although i've spent all this time bashing the film, it actually is a really good piece of art. The actors all step up to the plate, however some of the characters were a bit cliche'd, but overall the acting was excellent. The movie created "out of this world" emotional attachment with the apes, and even gets you to betray your species. While movies like "Transformers" just rely on explosions and hot women to sell the film, RIse of the Apes actually creates a wonderful story and moving characters and I hope that there will be sequels.… Expand

Let me start out my ranting by saying I went into this movie expecting content overall content similar to that in the admittedly awesome trailer, and yes it does contain a few cool action scenes as most summer blockbusters do. HOWEVER THIS IS NOT THE MAJORITY OF THE MOVIE!!! out of close to two hours of screen time around eighty-five percent is dedicated to nothing more than some VERY SLOW moving drama. Not that I have anything against slow moving drama movies, as I enjoyed Pulp Fiction and The Tree Of Life, but if you are going to tackle drama you had at least better make it interesting. Save for a few key scenes, most of the movie feels predictable and uninspired, as in nothing really catches your interest until a certain series trademark line is dropped to briefly pull you back in and lose interest within a few seconds. As with the movie, the ending is shockingly lame and baits you toward a inevitable sequel that you would rather spend your money on. To me, the movie felt rushed and unpolished, falling into that yet-another-unremarkable-series-installment-that-began-with-a-classic movie cliche. The trailer and potential for this movie raise expectations that it doesn't quite live up to. In short: Has a couple cool action scenes, lots of references to past movies fans will enjoy, and remarkable CGI apes done by the same actor who did Gollum in LOTR. Unfortunately most of the movie consists of slow moving, predictable drama, and the ending leaves you feeling unsatisfied. It seems as even the combined forces of James Franco and Draco can't save this movie from feeling like a downer. However, series veterans and people viewing with the right expectations still might get a kick out of it. As for me, I just hope the next installment lives up to the trailer.… Expand

No monkey business in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The film was a great beginning to an obvious second adaptation. Yes, there could have been more of a story and a more in depth analysis of the characters (humans), but this movie is called Rise of the Planet of the Apes, not Rise of the Planet of the Humans. Caesar was a CGI spectacle and James Franco played an excellent role as Caesar's surrogate father. Look for Rise of the Planet of the Apes II to top this movie ten fold. When I see the trailer for the next movie, you can bet your ass I'm goin' bananas!… Expand

I liked the movie very much.I can say that it is one of the best movies of 2011.It is well acted and also contains some amazing fight scenes.i can honestly say that it would be a blockbuster.

Really? Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It is "Rise of the Planet of special effects". This movie is nothing more than an acceptable form of a fantasy movie. The official trailer was emotional and attention-grabbing, but the movie is not just good enough.

I was proven VERY wrong about this film. I thought it was gonna suck, but I ended up REALLY liking it. Andy Serkis' performance is definitely worthy of a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, James Franco did a very good job as well, and the story was captivating and awesome. I have to say this is my second favorite movie of the year, right behind Fast 5. I cant wait for the sequel!!!

Another summer film that despite (or more likely, because of) massive CGI inspires shrugged shoulders. As it was, the CGI in this one was not quite good enough to allow one to forget it was there. I don't mind suspending disbelief if a film gives me a reason to, but this one doesn't. There are some gripping sequences, I admit, but they aren't in the service of anything larger. And frankly, I don't think PotA is a great series to mine for remakes. The originals weren't that good, and they only became iconic because Charleton Heston was the worlds biggest canned ham. We were laughing at those films, not loving them.… Expand

Having seen this a while ago I still can't get past why people think this is a phenomenal movie. It's good but not great. The plot gets a bit dull during the halfway point and you sit in your seat wondering when the whole rest of the movie is going to take off. Some of the dialogue between the human actors I felt was unneeded and really took us away from Caesar's problems (the real star of the movie). The next door neighbor was an irrelevant role, who's whole purpose in the film is to get sick? I mean the guy repeated the same line at least four times in the movie "Just get out of here!" The man only spoke about nine lines the whole movie. Overall i'm satisfied with my purchase but i'm not sitting here praising this movie like its a golden idol.… Expand

I really enjoyed this film and I cant wait for a sequel. Andy Serkis totally made this film and is amazing as Caesar. I did not like James Franco as a lead though, He doesnt do drama well. The rest of the cast was solid though. I liked how the plot set up future films but it was too straight forward, which was rather disapointing. The CGI use in the film is amazing. Totally worth the watch.

While "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is definitely entertaining for its hour and a half, it is far from a good film. The idea of the film is good - to give us a prelude to the story we all know rather well for over 3 decades now. In films like this one expects a lot of visual effects, dumb plot and paper-thin dialogue. For a change, this is different. The dialogue is not as bad as it could have been, which goes to the credit of the writers. That being said, it is not good either. The direction of the film is absolutely horrible, and Wyatt is obviously a rookie who should not have been given the lead with this. My biggest issue in the film was the straight-out ridiculous portrayal of the monkeys, especially Caesar. While he is supposed to be highly intelligent and human-like, the director has taken it a bit too far, that it becomes almost a mockery and, in a strange way, insulting to monkeys. Yes, I cannot believe I am writing this either, but I felt as if it was not a positive portrayal - not that it was meant to be anyway. Nonetheless, it made me rather uncomfortable and it's not because of the prospect of a monkey-led apocalypse. The acting is mediocre, despite the rather decent cast. The visual effects are good enough, and the monkeys are extremely credible. I am excited to see what will happen with the franchise, but I do hope that the director will change. It has set a decent standard for the next film, which can only help the sequel, since this film wasn't too bad, but it shouldn't be too hard to make a better follow up one. Let's see what happens!… Expand

I don't care if this film is somewhat simple and linear plotwise. I don't care that I guessed everything that happened. This film really captured my imagination, I think this has something to do with how relevant the film is. I could even suggest the film is believable, maybe just! It really captured the emotion in certain moments and communicated that to the viewer, often without any speech of any kind. It follows the theme of most films of this kind in the messages it communicates and definetly served as a reminder to me. I'd go as far as to suggest the Apes and Humans are actually two sides of the same coin, I don't really want to say anything else. Might go revisit the old Plant of the Apes movies soon. Brilliant, enjoyable, emotional, captivating.… Expand

suprisingly very good. the movie has alot of hart and you really do feel for ceaser. the human characters arnt focused on much and im kind of torn if thats a good or a bad thing since this is called rise of the plantet of the apes after all. the pacing does feel a tad slow but over all this movie delivers . the film makers did a damn good job makin the apes likeable and i found myself hooked in to what was going to happen to them next. this is how a remake should be done.… Expand

An ultimately entertaining, if ludicrous, movie. It improves as the apes get smarter, because the humans seem like such dimwits. Much has been made of the CGI ape(s) and Sertis' role is immeasurable to making this work, but there is a major if unavoidable flaw and that is that the CGI ape is a human acting like an ape, which means we see human expressions and mannerisms. Just because an ape gets smarter does not mean it automatically takes on human gestures. That would take a huge evolutionary span. As great as the CGI is it's presence too often means that the intelligence of the movie suffers, and in the end we get a CGI spectacle but poor writing, plotting, and illogical presentation.… Expand

A very entertaining and thrilling film. I had no idea what to expect since I didn't watch any trailers or anything. This film blew me away, the CG was amazing. James Franco did a great job and so did everyone else.

Easily the best movie of the summer and, so far, the best movie I've seen this year. If you've seen the original or are a fan, you're in for a real treat.

Great movie. I appreciated the tips of the hat to the original movies. I was prepared to be offended by the animal rights agenda and while it does try to present some moral equivalency between animals and humans it isn't preachy about it. I was impressed that visually the cg was believable enough so as to not be distracting.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a very solid prequel that does its job well in every category. Acting(Andy Serkis), visuals, story(which works very well in setting up the original Planet of the Apes.)In short, even if you haven't seen the original(which I highly recommend doing so), everyone will love this movie. Reason being is because it's not just a movie about apes destroying San Francisco, it's the somewhat emotional look at how Caesar came to be and the struggle he went through as he was torn between his owner(James Franco)and the other apes he lived with. Highly recommended!… Expand

An average film with a beautiful technical team to showcase a seamless interaction between humans and fake apes. While it wasn't a bad movie, it certainly doesn't deserve the accolades it is receiving.

Although I feared it would be just another blockbuster, I was positively surprised. A tight layered script coupled with impressive graphics that feel real, sets the right tone to what looks to be the start of a new franchise.

I loved every minute of this film and I really hope any sequels that are made keep to the same standard. If I have one criticism, it

At various times through the movie, my 23 year old dauther, my wife and I in our 40's, and my 69 year old father yawned more frequently than I'd expect. The graphic effects are cool, very well done. It's an average summer big budget movie. Had nothing to do with the Planet of the Apes series, for those of you expecting that.

A very solid piece of film making. Brilliant pacing and the CGI is incredible. Blows Tim Burton's movie out of the water and even rivals the original for pure entertainment. The only thing I didn't like was the way the bad guy working at the Monkey shelter was so cliched and 2 dimensional. But other than that - awesome.

This movie is amazing, keeps you entertained and glued to the screen, has no dull moment, the performances in general a bit loose, but no matter, the movie itself is very well build, after seeing this I want to be a damn monkey , good special effects, good sound, good photography, this film is so **** amazing..!! and now I can understand the other movies, great prequel.

Negative reviews for this movie!?? What the funk? Do you just hate monkeys? Forget the amazing computer-generated apes, this is a great story. Best Planet of the Apes movie ever. I've seen 'em all. Believe me- this one is at the top of a full barrel. If you don't like this movie, you're an anti-simianite! A raging anti-simianite.

In a summer packed with comic adaptations (X-Men, Thor, Green Lantern, The First Avenger), franchise finales (Harry Potter, Transformers) and the odd box office surprise (Bridesmaids, The Smurfs)... Rise manages to stand apart from the pack.

Rise features the best special effects of summer 2011, an engaging story and well-paced action sequences. To say that the movie is unrealistic and 'nonsense', as one user puts it, is to completely miss the point. Summer blockbusters have seldom been accused of being thought-provoking exercises. Jaws, a film widely viewed as the progenitor of the modern summer flick, was a movie about a giant shark which actually flops onto the deck of a boat in its attempt to eat the humans. 'Nuff said.

At its core, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an environmentally conscious flick in the guise of a loud and stupid action sci-fi. Do not let appearances deceive you... or you might end up missing the best that summer 2011 has to offer.… Expand

Great movie ,it has a good storyline and also has some good emotionals parts u really must see it.In my opinion is the second best movie of the year before ON STRANGER TIDES

There is nothing terribly good or bad about Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Nothing is really gained from it, but it isn't a total flop like most prequels are. The whole movie is just pretty... safe. Nothing new to see here. James Franco doesn't really shine here, though Andy Serkis impresses, like usual There are a lot of goofs and plotline holes throughout the movie, but it really just does its job as an escapist Hollywood blockbuster.… Expand

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a good movie. The build up of the primate explosion is great to watch and full of tension. The only real weak link here is James Franco, who I feel is pretty bad in everything he appears in. That casting annoyance aside, I had a lot of fun with this Planet of the Apes reboot.

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I thought it was going to be great. After seeing the film today, it turned nout to be just that. The human characters, though only a few, are pretty deep and have a reason for being in the story. The use of CGI on the apes was picture perfect with Andy Serkis again giving a top notch performance. It does move in predictable ways but still take spride in the progression of the story. Which in some cases may feel like a lull and keeps the film from being perfect. But it's better to see these than breeze over them and suck life from the story. So to see the progression from baby chimp to revolution leader is amazing.… Expand

Really enjoyed this. Surprise film of the year for me. The cinema was packed and at times the whole audience gasped, haven't seen that in a long time. The special effects are stunning but the story has real heart and I dare you not to be rooting for the most badass monkeys ever! Lots of nods to the original. Its not just the action but I loved the way its almost a comment on society. The caged underclass has outgrown its enslavement and how the authorities can't control a Rise (wont use the word riot!). Is it wrong to want better and free world for your people? A must see in the cinema.… Expand

Rise of the P. of the apes is a surprisingly good movie. The action and the drama were well balanced. James Franco was pretty good but Caesar was great. He didn't do much but move around but I felt for him. The effects and CGI was also good. You know what I can't really write a long review because theres nothing else to say but: go watch it.

An intriguing film with good acting and clever ideas. The film was touching and extremely thoughtful, until the battle at the end, where poise was lost and it turned into more of a visual stimulation than a well-thought out scene. Overall though, despite some scientific inconsistencies, it is a must-see film, which will leave you pondering over the boundary between human and ape.

Energetic, touching, humanity, brutal. Instead Andy Serkis touching (motion capture) performance, I two thumbs up the brutality by apes. Scares me to death.

A film about a scientific research gone wrong is always a pleasure to watch, however The Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes is a notch above the rest. Given its well developed computer graphics and beautiful visual. However the movie takes to long to get to its climax but given how great the movie is, it is a very minute problem.

The original 1968 Planet of the Apes spawned its own sequel titles and even had its own remake with Tim Burtonâ

A classic tale of of a phenomenon going beyond control, apes this time. Driven by mistreatment and feeling of injustice, a medically made intelligent, lab treated ape leads the revolt against humans. The acting credit goes this time to Ceasar, the apes leader who excels at eyes and face acting, thanks to human technology that makes this kind of ape puppets. For slightly less than two hours, this movie hardly gives the feeling of boredom. The scenario is not that strong specially at the finale which is quite non-convincing and quick in proportion with the lengthy tragic and hectic course of events.… Expand

MINOR SPOILERS
Surprisingly good. Andy Serkis gives an amazing performance as Caesar. The special effects are fantastic, and the apes in the movie are very believable. This movie could have easily been bad, but instead it's probably the best summer blockbuster of the year. The acting is all around good, with some exceptions (such as the one-dimensional human villains). James Franco gives a good performance but the stars of the movie are without a doubt the apes. The film is paced and directed well, and the movie builds a lot of tension towards the climax in which the apes escape. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for an entertaining and original summer movie.… Expand

I really liked this movie. It is one of the best prequel movies I think I've ever seen. It is a wonderful blend of action, drama, and intrigue. The characters are spot on, perfectly casted. And not just the live action ones. The CG main character is really who sells the show. This genius chimp's character development is what drives the movie forward. The human-animal relations in the movie, and especially the animal-animal relations are some of the best non-verbal writing I have yet seen. The main character says exactly three words in the entire movie, and yet he is so much better then characters in other movies who won't stop talking. I also really liked how the plot was set up. It is a journey from the jungle, to the labs, to the suburbs, to a torturous shelter, then to freedom, and finally to the seeds of humanity's fall. This is a great watch, and I recommend it to anyone who has not already seen it.… Expand

This is a good movie. I didnt expect much but I liked it. It reminded me a bit of AI. A nice subtext. Its an entertaining movie and i certainly enjoyed watching it. Let there be more !

I have not seen any of the other Apes movies at the time of this review. I thought the story of this movie was actually pretty good which was kinda unexpected for me. Things seemed to get pretty boring once the Apes were let loose, the action wasn't really impressive and the ending was just horrible.

A tremendous reboot of the Planet of the Apes series. Compared to the most recent Ape films this is without question head and shoulders above anything of recent memory. The plot is simple and rather like Batman Begins in a way where it explores the origins of the Apes. Everything you need to know going into the film is in the title. I have to admit I was actually thrilled by what this film had to offer, it's without doubt one of the biggest blockbusters of the year and genuinely lives up to being in that bracket alongisde HPP7, Transformers 3 etc,.) It has the perfect balance throughout, the whole emotional aspect of the apes in particular that of their would be leader Caesar's journey is fascinating, and ofcourse James Franco's character as he seeks a cure for his father. Andy Serkis is once again exceptional as Caesar but given his performances in Lord of the Rings (Gollum) and King Kong (as Kong). Overall this is a welcome return to form and would be well worthy of a sequel. Its one of the surprise packages of the year and an entertaining blockbluster that lives up to the hype.… Expand

The original apes series in the 60's and 70's are one of my guilty pleasures. We learned in the very first Charleton Heston version that this was the future of Earth, but we never learned why. The remake in the early part of the decade with Mark Wahlberg was technically competent in terms of the effects and production values, but it was wooden and lifeless. I didn't have high hopes for this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. It had solid action, emotion, you actually cared about Caesar, The computer generated special effects were good, but there is something a little off which can be disconcerting, But the story actually comes up with a believable premise of how earth came to be taken over by apes. And there were no comic book heroes like every other movie this summer. I was very impressed.… Expand

Strong movie in spite of the reputation of the prior Ape films. Loved what they did with the technology and thought the computer ape story was better than the real human tale. Very enjoyable.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Prequel or reboot? Whatever the case, Rise Of The Planet of The Apes is a movie you cannot ignore. If you ever saw the original, you may have scratched your head and wondered: How am I supposed to believe that a world where talking apes who have overthrown humanity as the dominant species is possible? The riddle of the talking ape is finally solved: Man's experimentation on living chimpanzees created a Pandora's box which heralded the end! What I liked about this movie was its slow, logical pace, building to the eventual conclusion. Instead of being thrust into a world we question, we witness scientific "progress" - not uncommon in this day and age - which creates the dramatic tension and deus ex machina necessary for apes to overthrow us. James Franco and John Lithgow skillfully play great characters, but both actors take a back-seat to the work of Andy Serkis, who provides us with a living, breathing, emoting, CGI-bred Caesar. I always wondered exactly how Caesar learned to talk and to be the first ape to utter the word "No" - this movie gives us a compelling rationale behind the Planet of the Apes folklore. I look forward to more movies in this franchise - if they are anything like this one, they will be fantastic.

- Chipper F. Xavier, Esq.… Expand

I went in not expecting much, but came away with more than I had hoped. It is a great movie on so many levels. well acted, emotionally engaging and an ethical tale as well. In the end my favorite theme told- testing on animals brings nothing good, in fact animal testing is our own downfall. So prolific.

The trailers make this look like a straight action sequel to a long-running franchise. The surprise is, the movie actually has both heart and intelligence.

I actually really enjoyed this movie. The story is very interesting and very new. The CGI is absolutely amazing and you don't really notice that it's fake. I mean it's there, but extremely easy to ignore. The best part of the movie are the apes. For sure. James Franco actually plays a kind of secondary protagonist. Ceazar Is the actual main character. A great revolution movie, which shows the ape's side of things. I found the premise to be a little unrealistic, assuming an alziehmer cure is possible, until the end. Which did a good job of explaining things in a short time. There are also great action scenes that exhibit the great strength of the ape. In fact, the action scenes MIXED with the ape's intelligence are very interesting and very entertaining. One of the best movies of the year.… Expand

This was a super fun movie but any professional critic who'd give it five stars, a 10 or 100% is either on the take or on drugs. 91% is fine. How about 3 1/2 stars or 4? An 8 score is terrific. But a perfect score is lame, lame, lame. This isn't one of the best films of all time. It's above average, and very good --and that's good enough!

Definitely worth a trip to the movie theater if you have enjoyed Planet of the Apes. If you have never seen Planet of the Apes I would suggest watching it first before going.

What ever you do dont listen to CYRANUS review. My god he either didnt watch the movie or needs a dose of the same intelligence serum as the apes. Scene 1 was a baby therefore took more time to mature like all living beings. Scene 2 the apes that took that serum were already adults which is why the serum worked quicker. Scene 1 apes escape (more than 20) Scene 2 apes on the hill (not 200, about the same number of apes.) Didnt pay attention to the whole cage being seen from the playroom or not, but even if he is right, thats a VERY small plothole. Police and humans were not stupid they underestimated the apes, because they were not aware of how smart they were. As far as the speaking ape, if you watched the planet of the apes show you know that had to be thrown in there gradually, it's a fantasy movie not real life idiot. Didnt even understand what you meant about the "Scene 1: Tormented scientific resign and claims for the end of ALZ113 development. Scene 2: Same scientific has the lethal formula on his fridge" crap. You really need to watch it again and not try to seem like a smart critic, because your points had more plotholes than the movie did.… Expand

Fox may say it's not a reboot but it sure looks like it, same general idea with a new story, adapted for a 2011 public. It's not a perfect movie, some little things just buged me (Ex: a monkey trow a sewer doormat to a car and the thing get STUCK in the windshield, not even hurting the driver) but overall, it's a very enjoyable moment. In therm of character developement, Ceasar, the monkey, is interesting, and the relationship with his master is too, but the other characters are kinda lacking in depth. Finally, I must say that every monkey are computer generated and are totally awesome.
Best summer movie so far in my opinion.… Expand

I really liked this film. Nearly every ape, if not all, were performance-capture CGI, and every one of them looked incredibly realistic. Serkis is particularly brilliant as Caesar. The film tugs at your heart strings here and there while offering an interesting case-study with apes, Alzheimer's disease, and the various relationships and interactions with their human counterparts. Franco & Pinto are somewhat forgettable in this film, but Lithgow gives a good performance. There are many epic segments in this film that are unforgettable. What a great origin film!… Expand

great movie. CAESAR WAS BREATHTAKING!!!!! Andy serkis did a great job playing Caesar. the movie was good throughout. its intense and emotional. you feel Caesar's anger and pain. when he was commanding the apes it was crazy. when he rode that horse all i could say was DAMN!!!!!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is certainly evolutionarily superior to the vast majority of summer blockbusters. It's not only visually stunning but boasts some clever ideas and moral questions. Andy Serkis continues to prove that he's not only the master of mo-cap, but a brilliant method actor. Not since Avatar has CGI so effectively been married with the real world, and every Ape is believable as a character. The sequence documenting Caesar's formative years is magical, and the action-packed finale is heart-racing, but sadly other parts of the film lack a bit of a punch. This is partly due to the dullness of the human characters - no-one (with the possible exception of John Lithgow's Alzheimer's-afflicted Charles) are anywhere near as interesting, or easy to relate to as Caesar. This motion-captured chimp (a hyper-intelligent chimp, this is true, but still a chimp) out-performs everyone else on screen. This is a true testament to Serkis' skill, but also proof that the rest of the cast's performances are generally lacklustre. So the film is interesting enough, the plot reasonably entertaining, with some nice nods to the original Apes film, and the visuals are beautiful. However none of the flesh-and-blood characters can compete with the apes in terms of likeability, complexity or emotional grounding. And the title's just silly.… Expand

Wow, this movie was damn good. James Franco was brilliant and so was the rest of the supporting cast and Rupert Wyatt did an amazing job directing this film. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a brilliant summer blockbuster with loads of action in its final 25 min of its reasonably lengthed hour and 55 minutes. The only reason I gave it a 9 and not a 10 is because i thought it got a little boring and slow in the beginning, but just a little, otherwise this movie enthralled me from the start. This movie was a great way to end off the summer of blockbusters. Even if your not an apes fan go see this movie because anybody can enjoy a great film. 9.5/10… Expand

Just alright. I was most definitely entertained but there wasn't anything that was really blow away for me. I also didn't find it to be near as emotional as some people made it out to be. Worth a watch, not sure if I would've paid $10 in hind sight.

Great use of character attachment is the key to this movie. the director found away to make scenes with no dialogue interesting and fun. Overall a fun movie to watch with no dull parts throughout. A good summer blockbuster!

This origin story is bereft of character, soul and reasoning. Full of trite, fake and all too perfect moments. Years pass in seconds presumably because they couldn't figure out what to write. There is no substance to the characters while others are cliches or complete waste of acting skill. Perhaps slightly better than Marky Mark's Ape escapade, but that is not saying much.

Was Planet of the Apes a movie that needed to be made? Nope but what has been made is entertaining with likable characters that will have you rooting for them through their predicament. The stars of Rise of The Planet of The Apes are the CGI apes themselves which have more heart and interest then the human actors which are on the lacking side. James Franco has a permanent stoned look on his face the whole movie and never seems to completely convince as a scientist more than him wearing a lab coat. It was also good to see an Indian actress in the supporting role but unfortunately the story fails to do much with her. Most of the CGI effects are great and succeed to convince, however there was a couple of border silly parts having over exaggerated animations like a cartoon which breaks the illusion. Despite some of the plot holes and half good story, Rise of The Planet succeeds as an entertaining movie. Recommended.â… Expand

In 2009 it was Star Trek, in 2010 it was Inception and now in 2011 Rise of The Planet of the Apes conquers as the smartest, most thrilling blockbusters of the Summer (hands down). Though initially skeptical of the story, everything was well executed; particularly the means and reasons behind the apes' uprising; With a semblance of time and high shock value to boot. Through stylish direction and astonishing visual effects (which needs to win the VFX Oscar next year) Serkis' performance is excellently captured adding humanity and depth to our lead ape. The 2001 remake pales in comparison to this and the original films will always remain classics. This goes down as a satisfying reboot to a long running franchise and I'm eager to see what awaits in its future.… Expand

I was excited about seeing this movie and I really wanted to like it. When the main character is a computer generated monkey, it's hard to get emotionally wrapped up in a move. James Franco and John Lithgow were stand outs but the premise took a long time to develop and the action came very late in the movie. Overall, it was decent. Not great.

Outstanding visuals, wonderful film making, good acting, and lots of character is what this movie is filled to the brim with. The action is exciting, yet surprisingly it isn't the best part of this movie. For me, the best part was the characters, and the relationship that you, the audience, have with the characters. You really feel connected to the lead Ape character, Caesar. (played by Andy Serkis, and very well might I add.) You can see the pain, love, and intensity in Caesar's eyes throughout this film. It's a smart script, with several moments that will make your emotions run wild. And in my opinion, that is what movies are all about. I think this is easily one the best movies to come out all summer. Highly recommended. 8/10… Expand

What I love the most about this movie is not the adventurous escapades of Caesar, but the impeccable role that Franco plays in it. Like in "127 Hours", Franco uses his ability to act not with his face, but with his eyes and voice, and he uses it perfectly here. Credits to the director for making another success since "The Escapist".

James Franco is a very good actor and this was a good movie to have him in. Although it was a well written story, the fantasy aspect of it just didn't sit right. All the "Planet of the Apes" films are bizarre but that also makes it intriguing to people.

If you remember that this is a Planet Of The Apes movie, then you will enjoy this movie. Nothing about this concept can be accepted as possible, so just enjoy it. There are at least 3 references (some subtle some not) to the original movies which is great. It is actually an engaging story and not all action. See it and enjoy it, just for what it is ... remember, its not Shakespeare!

This movie is fantastic and perfect , but it is one of the shortest movie._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________… Expand

It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was still a good movie though. The plot was awesome, music was lifting, the effects were great but simple, the acting wasn't exactly amazing, I'd blame the director though. However, It still ended out to be entertaining enough to stay in your seats.

Rise of The Planet of the Apes was alright. Watched it before it was released at a special preview. Impressive special effects. I just found it "freaky" a bit with monkeys acting like humans! Didn't watch it in 3D so that was one good thing - is there a 3D version??

This film is the most surprising I have seen in a long time. When I saw the trailer, I was very put off by another planet of the apes movie, and the thought that a couple apes could take over our planet seemed just hyper-ridiculous. Anyway, after hearing unanimous positive reviews from my fiends, I went, and it blew me away. I'm not kidding, the plot is extraordinary, the development of the main chimp, Caesar, is one of the best I have seen, the take over is well played out and plausible, I'm serious. This film deserves it's reputation. THIS LAST PART IS A BIT OF A SPOILER - It is only logical that a drug that enhances the brain's function and reparation would eventually lead the chimps to speak, and although that concept could seem cliche, cheesy, or has the ability to come off as ridiculous, they pulled it off unbelievably well. Once again, this film is an excellent result of good a good writers, directors, and film-making.… Expand

I thought this movie was great. It got you to care about Caesar and almost root for the apes after how they were treated. I thought Serkis was a genius in his role as the lead ape. It really got you thinking about its likelihood to happen (which is pretty high based on what apes can do these days). I definitely recommend this movie and might say it is in my top 5 for the year so far.

You will never know how fast you will eat your popcorn while you were watching Rise of the Planet of The Apes. I didn't watched previous movies but will watch them too after i see this one.

They did a great job mending the pre-story to the PotA classic. It has some very nicely woven heart-felt moments and some crazy action scenes to offer. Be sure to hang around for the credits!!!

This was a very good movie. As a fan of the original franchise and the 2001 movie, I found it very enjoyable. I will say there were a few times the CGI was obvious in the movie, but it was rare, and for the most part, after the movie progresses, you don't even think your watching computer graphics. This movie can be put off till home release however, its not imperative you see it in the theatre.

I can honestly say that I enjoyed the movie, but I kept asking myself what the real point was. and it didnt give me paths to go down thinking about where things go from here. Well done, bu not mind-blowingly good.

A truly spectacular film that has everything a summer blockbuster should have. An incredibly emotional film, I would say that this film surpasses the original in just about every way. Watch it and you'll see why this deserves to be the movie of the year, without a doubt. In short, this movie is nothing short of phenomenal. You owe it to yourself to watch this masterpiece of a film.

This movie is definitely one of the best i have seen in all of summer. At first i was expecting a mindless action film, but hot damn i was so freaking glad that it wasn't.