Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Theatrical Release Date: 2014 07 11 (USA - 3D) / 2014 07 11 (USA)

UPC: 024543888246

Studio: 20th Century Fox

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Profanity, Sci-Fi Violence]

Summary: A war begins to brew between man and ape in this sequel to the 2011 hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It's been ten years since the Simian Flu wiped out most of humanity, and somewhere deep in the woods outside of San Francisco, Caesar (voice and performance capture by Andy Serkis) and his primate companions have established a thriving village built on the principles of peace and community. Shortly after welcoming a baby brother into the family, Caesar's son Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston) is walking through the forest with his friend Ash (Doc Shaw) when they cross paths with a human named Carver (Kirk Acevedo), who impulsively draws his gun and shoots Ash at the first sign of aggression. As it turns out, Carver is part of a human expedition led by Malcolm (Jason Clarke), who, along with the rest of his crew, races to Carver's side just as Caesar and the rest of the apes answer Blue Eyes' desperate call for help. An enraged Caesar drives the humans away after realizing they are no longer a threat, and decides to dispatch a small crew to follow them rather than yield to the pleas of his aggressive advisor Koba (Toby Kebbell) to launch an all-out attack. Instead, he decides to show the apes' strength by amassing outside of the humans' makeshift community at the base of an unfinished tower, making it unmistakably clear that the two species should remain apart.

Meanwhile, the point of the human excursion was to get a dormant dam running again in order to power their community, which will soon be thrust into darkness should they fail to take action. Convinced that he could strike a truce with Caesar that would allow the humans to repair the dam, which is located on the apes' land, Malcolm gets permission from human leader Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) to set out on his mission. Incredibly, thanks to the help of his girlfriend Ellie (Keri Russell), his son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and a few other key allies, Malcolm succeeds. Still, his truce with the apes is a fragile one, and just when it seems that the primates and humans have learned to coexist in peace, a shocking act of betrayal threatens to spark a war that will determine the dominant species.
~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Science Fiction

Awards: Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts

Features: Journey to Dawn
Andy Serkis: rediscovering Caesar
Humans and apes: the cast of Dawn
The world of Dawn
The ape community
Move like an ape: an artist's medium
Weta and Dawn
The fight for a new Dawn
Deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by Matt Reeves
Feature audio commentary by Matt Reeves
Gallery

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 12/02/2014

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DHMA, DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 130 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,Spanish

Region: Blu-ray region A (North America, Central America, South America, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia)

Jason Buchanan

A potent blend of sci-fi spectacle and substance, Matt Reeves' exhilarating interspecies-war drama Dawn of the Planet of the Apes may be the best film in the franchise since the 1968 original, thanks to a perceptive screenplay that delves deep into the tragic nature of conflict and cutting-edge special effects that constantly dazzle.

It's been ten years since the Simian Flu wiped out most of humanity, and somewhere deep in the woods outside of San Francisco, Caesar (voice and performance capture by Andy Serkis) and his primate companions have established a thriving village built on the principles of peace and community. Shortly after welcoming a baby brother into the family, Caesar's son Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston) is walking through the forest with his friend Ash (Doc Shaw) when they cross paths with a human named Carver (Kirk Acevedo), who impulsively draws his gun and shoots Ash at the first sign of aggression. As it turns out, Carver is part of a human expedition led by Malcolm (Jason Clarke), who, along with the rest of his crew, races to Carver's side just as Caesar and the rest of the apes answer Blue Eyes' desperate call for help. An enraged Caesar drives the humans away after realizing they are no longer a threat, and decides to dispatch a small crew to follow them rather than yield to the pleas of his aggressive advisor Koba (Toby Kebbell) to launch an all-out attack. Instead, he decides to show the apes' strength by amassing outside of the humans' makeshift community at the base of an unfinished tower, making it unmistakably clear that the two species should remain apart.

Meanwhile, the point of the human excursion was to get a dormant dam running again in order to power their community, which will soon be thrust into darkness should they fail to take action. Convinced that he could strike a truce with Caesar that would allow the humans to repair the dam, which is located on the apes' land, Malcolm gets permission from human leader Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) to set out on his mission. Incredibly, thanks to the help of his girlfriend Ellie (Keri Russell), his son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and a few other key allies, Malcolm succeeds. Still, his truce with the apes is a fragile one, and just when it seems that the primates and humans have learned to coexist in peace, a shocking act of betrayal threatens to spark a war that will determine the dominant species.

For a while, it was starting to feel as if the best Planet of the Apes films were behind us; between Tim Burton's failed attempt to relaunch the franchise back in 2001 and Rupert Wyatt's commendable yet anticlimatic Rise of the Planet of the Apes a decade later, it seemed as if the original series would forever remain a relic of the tumultuous times when they were made. In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, however, Reeves and screenwriters Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Mark Bomback all display an acute understanding of the deeply humanistic themes that made the initial films resonate so strongly with audiences.

Working with the special-effects wizards at Exceptional Minds, Weta Digital, and Soho VFX, the director and writers create a compelling alternate reality that's not only a convincing extension of our own, but one that's inhabited by creatures that are every bit as expressive and believable as their human counterparts. The eyes of the apes in this movie contain a full spectrum of emotions, including heartache, fear, anger, compassion, and shame. In a story examining the complexities of warfare, it's crucial that viewers are able to identify and relate to those feelings, and there isn't a moment in this film when those emotions fail to ring true -- both on the human and simian sides.

The ability to recognize those emotions also enhances the impact of the battle between the two species, and each time conflict arises in the movie, there's a tangible sense of the stakes involved. Although the violence in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes at times tests the boundaries of its PG-13 rating, every act of aggression reflects important aspects of the plot and characters. While occasionally excessive, the violence is far from gratuitous, and director Reeves occasionally adds stylistic touches that give it added impact -- especially in a showstopping scene set on a tank. And as the catalyst for this brutality, the character of Koba is played with chilling, warmongering efficiency by British actor Toby Kebbell, who easily holds his own opposite the immensely talented Andy Serkis. On the human side, Clarke continues the solid streak he's been riding ever since his role in Zero Dark Thirty, and Oldman serves as the frightening personification of the power of fear.

So while it's undeniable that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is science fiction, it pays to remember that the most effective sci-fi holds a mirror to the surroundings in which it was conceived. By fully immersing us in a fantasy world that feels completely authentic, Reeves and his team not only succeed in recapturing the spirit of the original series (which is also echoed in Michael Giacchino's knowingly retro score), but in making its thought-provoking themes of sociopolitical tolerance relevant through skillful storytelling and stunning effects work. If we can just set aside our prejudice and arrogance long enough to recognize the value in this type of movie, perhaps we can learn to start building each other up again, rather than constantly tearing each other down. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Matt Reeves  Director 
Amanda Silver  Producer 
Amanda Silver  Screenwriter 
Jenno Topping  Executive Producer 
Thomas M. Hammel  Executive Producer 
Rick Jaffa  Producer 
Rick Jaffa  Screenwriter 
Michael Giacchino  Composer (Music Score) 
Mark Bomback  Executive Producer 
Mark Bomback  Screenwriter 
Peter Chernin  Producer 
Dylan Clark  Producer 
Heather Willman  Executive Producer 
Jason Clarke  Actor 
Gary Oldman  Actor 
Keri Russell  Actor 
Kodi Smit-McPhee  Actor 
Kirk Acevedo  Actor 
Judy Greer  Actor 
Andy Serkis  Actor 
Toby Kebbell  Actor 
Karin Konoval  Actor 
Terry Notary  Actor 
Enrique Murciano Jr.  Actor 
Nick Thurston  Actor 
Jon Eyez  Actor 
Laramie Shaw  Actor 
Lee Ross  Actor 
Keir O'Donnell  Actor 
Kevin Rankin  Actor 
Jocko Sims  Actor 
Al Vicente  Actor 
Matthew James  Actor 
Richard King  Actor 
Scott Lang  Actor 
Deneen Tyler  Actor 
Mustafa Harris  Actor 
Lombardo Boyar  Actor 
Mike Seal  Actor 
J.D. Evermore  Actor 
Chase Boltin  Actor 
Michael Papajohn  Actor 
Thomas Rosales, Jr.  Actor 
Carol Sutton  Actor 
Christopher Berry  Actor 

Country: USA