The long awaited sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, has finally hit theatres nationwide, and this ardent fan had the opportunity to watch the premier.
Set 10 years after the events of the previous installment, the deadly virus known as the Simian Flu has spread and killed much of the human population. Only pockets of immune humans survive and try desperately to rebuild their lives in the hope of returning to the lifestyles they enjoyed before the outbreak. The genetically modified apes, meanwhile, managed to escape into the forest, and while the humans were dealing with the virus, these apes built their own society, religion, literacy, and traditions without interruption or further conflict.
Their uninterrupted peace comes to an end when a group of humans looking to revive a dam for their potential energy stumble upon two hapless apes. The events that follow throw into havoc the human and ape communities. Caesar, the leader of the apes, tries desperately to maintain peace, but his efforts are thwarted by a human-hating ape known as Koba, who usurps Caesar and declares war against the humans.
This sequel provides an action packed, suspense filled thrill ride to complement its predecessor. This viewer was on edge the entire movie, as every moment of the film provided a unique experience into how these apes lived. As human society deteriorated, the ape society thrived, providing a unique parallel between these two communities.
Appropriate attention was also placed into understanding why these apes might hate humans. The captivity they endured and the cruel animal testing that they suffered has irrevocably scarred them; as a result, their reasons behind wanting to live in isolation and only with other apes resonates with the audience. As the movie progresses, however, the viewer sees just how similar these two species are.
Despite all the praise, there is an issue with this movie, but it is not specific to this one franchise. As Hollywood has moved into the trend of seemingly endless sequels to generate as much profit as possible, this franchise has fallen victim to this mode of thinking. Its simple plot and small advances from one movie to the next make this viewer question if this franchise will ever come to an end; and if it does, it might be from a jaded audience and not from a well thought out story.
Nonetheless I do recommend this movie to fans and to the general audience. The movie on its own will not disappoint, and you will come out wanting more.
