Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

Apolloisall · December 21st, 2011, 05:00 PM

Oh man, this movie was so great.

No words here, just see it. If you're an Apes fan at all, that is.

Punisher454 · December 21st, 2011, 10:13 PM

Yes a I'm fan of the original POTA movies, especially the first two, and also the TV series.
Didnt really like the POTA remake from a few years back, a terrible re-imagining.
I DID like this new movie though, and as a remake/replacement of "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" it was fantastic. I thought it really held true to the important continuity points of the original two POTA movies great, actually better(more logical) than the original.
The little parts in the background talking about the "Icarus" mission really tied it in nicely for me. I hope they continue with this series, assuming they maintain the same quality level.

Senmut · December 21st, 2011, 10:28 PM

Another re-imagining.
No thanks.

Gemini1999 · December 22nd, 2011, 08:47 AM

I saw this film in the movie theater...twice! I was a big fan of the original Apes movies, but I totally hated the last remake venture. I went into this one very skeptical (and armed with a 5.00 movie money card) and I enjoyed it very much. I think that it just came out on DVD - I need to go get it!

Bryan

Titon · December 22nd, 2011, 09:17 AM

Actually this movie really started out well but lost me in the end. I am a big apes fan as well and found the Mark Wahlberg installment actually pretty entertaining. This new apes movie just did not cut it for me but it's still entertaining..

Apolloisall · December 22nd, 2011, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemini1999

I saw this film in the movie theater...twice! I was a big fan of the original Apes movies, but I totally hated the last remake venture. I went into this one very skeptical (and armed with a 5.00 movie money card) and I enjoyed it very much.

It was a magnificent idea to not straight-up remake the original classic. That's like breaking into a building with an impenetrable ground floor. And since it's based on paradoxes, the ground floor is also the top level. So they went in from the side. Smart.
Lookin' forward to the sequel.

TwoBrainedCylon · December 22nd, 2011, 01:24 PM

Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a truly awesome film. If only most franchises were revived in such a way.

I vary from Don in that I couldn't stand the Tim Burton treatment. For me, it only moved from horrid to barely watchable for me as time passed. I have it on DVD because its part of the franchise but its wasted shelf space for me as I don't even load it in the player when I go through my apes phase (which is where I rewatch the films and then the television series).

I also did think that Rise wavered a bit when they got to the bridge conflict. It didn't bother me because it was the mandatory monkeys fight for freedom scene. If it wasn't in the end of this film it would have to be the opening of the next. Had they bumped it off until later, it would have probably have played out pretty weakly given the virus spread graphics they showed at the end. In this film, it showed the apes fighting for their independence which gave it more meaning than it otherwise would have gotten.

I suspect this film ended in a manner that is going to lead to a pretty strong sequel. I think in ten years, we'll see the films run together fairly well, as does the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you recall, one of the complaints about Fellowship of the Ring was that it was slow and a bit drawn out. After the trilogy was completed, nobody complained.

I was very happy that this one had an actual story.

If only all remakes were done with such care.

All my best,

Russell

peter noble · December 22nd, 2011, 02:11 PM

I thought Rise was awesome.

thought it was respectful of the franchise while still being creatively its own film.

This has been a good year for Apes product with various books and comic releases that have been excellent in quality.

Apolloisall · December 22nd, 2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter noble

This has been a good year for Apes product with various books and comic releases that have been excellent in quality.

I noticed some very GOOD looking Apes comics at the shop yesterday....

David Kerin · December 27th, 2011, 12:09 PM

Watched the film today with the writer's commentary on. Was really nice to hear their actual knowledge and respect of the original films. Thought I caught them early on when they commented about Ceasar being the first ape to speak the word "No" in the original film, but later in the commentary they expanded on that, adding it was actually mentioned in "Escape" and was actually an ape named Aldo... told in story, never seen.

A film like this is great because it revitalizes a franchise in a way that can bring in new fans who never saw the original, and still respects and gives fans of the original so much to enjoy. Aside from how Battlestar Galactica has been treated over the years, we luckily had some decent creative folk behind other beloved franchises like Star Trek, Tron, and now Planet of the Apes. Maybe someday Battlestar... maybe some day.

Apolloisall · December 27th, 2011, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Kerin

Maybe someday Battlestar... maybe some day.

"It is a dream I have...." - Arthurisall

martok2112 · December 28th, 2011, 04:45 PM

Yes, I too thoroughly enjoyed RotPOTA. (sounds like a bowel disease...ugh...hahaha).
Great, fun movie...and an excellent summation of just how the uprising and take over began.

I highly ape-reciate this movie. They certainly didn't monkey around. I'm gibbon it four stars.

martok2112 · December 28th, 2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titon

Actually this movie really started out well but lost me in the end. I am a big apes fan as well and found the Mark Wahlberg installment actually pretty entertaining. This new apes movie just did not cut it for me but it's still entertaining..

I'm probably one of the few that enjoyed the Tim Burton/Mark Wahlberg version as well.

BST · December 28th, 2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martok2112

Yes, I too thoroughly enjoyed RotPOTA. (sounds like a bowel disease...ugh...hahaha).
Great, fun movie...and an excellent summation of just how the uprising and take over began.

I highly ape-reciate this movie. They certainly didn't monkey around. I'm gibbon it four stars.

Feeling a bit woozy, I am.

LZaza · January 3rd, 2012, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martok2112

I'm probably one of the few that enjoyed the Tim Burton/Mark Wahlberg version as well.

I enjoyed it as well. Wouldn't share it with the kids due to the violence, but hubby and I appreciated it.

Interesting to hear the reviews on the latest. Hubby downloaded it, but having recently watched all the original movies, I admit I lacked any enthusiasm for a re-imagining. Now I'll probably watch it.

Senmut · January 3rd, 2012, 11:33 PM

Of the originals, which did you think was the best?

Punisher454 · January 4th, 2012, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LZaza

I enjoyed it as well. Wouldn't share it with the kids due to the violence, but hubby and I appreciated it.

Interesting to hear the reviews on the latest. Hubby downloaded it, but having recently watched all the original movies, I admit I lacked any enthusiasm for a re-imagining. Now I'll probably watch it.

Its not the typical re-imagining, this one pays a lot of respect to the original. Also the major change to the story is the origin of the smart apes, which makes more sense than the original, but still fits perfectly well.

Senmut · January 4th, 2012, 03:35 AM

The original was never clear on how the apes gained sentience. Selective breeding? Genetic manipulation? Sadly, it wasn't clear.

LZaza · January 4th, 2012, 06:15 AM

Of the original series, I liked the Planet of the Apes (first movie) the best. It was creative. The character of Taylor and his predicament pulled you in and had you rooting for him. The ending was a good twist, that obviously set the stage for the rest of the movies.

Hated the second. We finally catch up with Taylor again, only to have the world destroyed shortly thereafter.

Then we're supposed to believe that some scientific apes, including Zira and Cornelius, suddenly pulled a spaceship up from the bottom of a lake miles from their settlement arranging an escape before the world blew up, explaining the appearance of sentient apes in the past. Still shaking my head at the unlikelihood of that.

Yes, I'll be curious to see how they explain the evolution of the apes in this new rendition.

TwoBrainedCylon · January 4th, 2012, 06:16 AM

One of the strong aspects of "Rise" was the development of the apes wasn't done in a way that made you roll your eyes. It was truly a clever script and the steps it took progressed in a believable manner. I also thought this remake was far better than the original and I really like the original. It honored its origins and was one of the very few times that the changes in the remake all seemed for the better.

The downfall of man was also handled in a very smart way.

Given the mish-mash of the Ape timeline, I'm not entirely sure if "Rise" should truly be considered a remake or the first in the series. The other films show a looping timeline that shifts as the loop repeats. "Rise" could well fit as the launch of the timeline.

As a small spoiler, a subtle detail in the film is a news report overheard on the radio that talks about the disappearance of a space mission. This is presumably Commander Taylor's spacecraft. Taken from this view, "Rise" actually strengthens the rest of the apes films and makes a set that should go something like:

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
(Sequels to Rise)
Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Conquest from the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes television series

I mention this because the television series is also quite good and has held up to the test of time very well.

All my best,

Russell

martok2112 · January 4th, 2012, 09:51 AM

I agree completely, Russell.
Rise of the POTA is not a remake by any means. It is a bona-fide beginning for a great series of movies.

(A rarity too....given that some movies that try to delve into the beginnings of past films really fall flat.)

Apolloisall · January 4th, 2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senmut

Of the originals, which did you think was the best?

The first movie, the second movie, the series, then the last three movies are sort of all equally okay.