Film & TV

Review: Rise Of The Planet of The Apes

Rating: M

Running Time: 105 minutes

Release Date: 5 August 2011

A regular cinema goer I am not, however I ventured to the Piccadilly cinema
(wasn’t that called the Forum at one stage?) to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

My inclination to see this movie probably dates back to my childhood, when I saw and enjoyed the 1968 movie Planet of the Apes starring Charlton Heston.

The movie is presumably set as a prequel to the 1968 film and in my mind makes a plausible attempt to outline how the apes may have reigned supreme.

No animals are used in this movie, but the expertise of Steven Spielberg’s special effects brings pretty good images of the stars of the movie, the Apes.

The story line of the movie is fairly simple, there is plenty of action and a little romance which has appeal to both sexes viewing the movie.

The movie is set in that wonderful city, San Francisco, and yes we see the Golden Gate Bridge and a cable car and the apes set themselves up in Muir Woods climbing those giant Redwoods!

James Franco’s lead role as the scientist, Will Rodman, working on a cure for Alzheimer’s disease is stong and John’s Lithgow’s performance as his father, Charles, suffering from the disease is very professional as you would expect from this fine actor.

All in all the movie holds your interest for the duration and is well worth seeing.

I’d give it 3.5/5 stars.

P.S. Don’t leave the cinema when the credits come up! The seeds for a sequel are sown if you stay.

Review by Greg Pugh

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