"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011) Review.

 

"An origin story set in present day San Francisco, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy. " - IMDb.com

This sci-fi movie classic's prequel was a pleasant surprise considering the things I'd heard about it. However...

 

 James Franco was the wrong choice for the role of Dr. Will Rodman. He was unable to fulfill the more dramatic beats in his character's storyline (I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I won't mention any examples).

Freida Pinto was a good choice though for Caroline Aranha, she even held her own against the great John Lythgoe, who plays Will's father Charles. Lythgoe, of course, played his role perfectly.

Andy Serkis perfectly physicalised the role of Caesar, unsurprisingly.

Tom Felton delivered the role of the Malfoy-like Dodge Landon with his usual evil-ness. The only thing I can critique of his performance is that his American accent sometimes slipped and he has kept his British cadence, revealing his true origins. Brian Cox played Dodge's father, John Landon, perfectly as usual.

 

Overall, the story was well delivered and really explains the Rise of the Planet of the Apes (pun intended), and the emotional reason that makes this come to pass.

3 out of 5 stars.

C. F. Pelletier

"Cowboys & Aliens" (2011) Review

"A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys and natives are all that stand in their way." - IMDb.com

I have had the pleasure to see the new sci-fi blockbuster this past week, and I now know why it is so popular, despite its somewhat bizarro concept.

The movie is based on Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's Platinum Studios comic book.

Only a few people could have made this movie successfully. Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Iron Man 2) was the perfect fit for this idea, considering his history as a director. He executed his task well. The movie was produced by Ron Howard and (unsurprisingly) Steven Spielberg.

For the actors, only two actors could have played the two male leads: Indiana Jones and James Bond. And, they were a perfect match!

Harrison Ford showed us his considerable acting chops as the tough yet compassionate "Colonel" Woodrow Dolarhyde. Daniel Craig showed us why he is the latest James Bond as reformed criminal Jack Lonergan. Craig's character barely has any dialogue in the beginning of the movie, and yet he speaks volumes with his presence alone. Both he and Ford are tough-as-nails, which shows in a key moment when they both hit each other. This "blood drawn" forms a pact of respect between the two characters from then on in.

Olivia Wilde held her own as the ethereal but tough Ella Swenson. She provided the physicality and acting chops to match Ford and Craig. Who knows, perhaps she is the next Angelina Jolie?

Other notable performances came from Clancy Brown (priest Meacham) and Adam Beach (Nat Colorado), as well as the young Noah Ringer (Emmett Taggart).

The movie is both dramatic and punched up with humour, both a character-driven story and action packed. It is clear to see why it is so popular; it really is a winner in my book (and a possible future classic).

   . out of 5۞۞۞۞ 

C. F. Pelletier

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