Have to say after the last movie I didnt have high expectations, but this, this is just brilliant
[spoiler]The explanation for how the primates get so smart is actually plausible & believable unlike the last movie of the original movies/TV series. The man made gene therapy virus making the primates smart while killing humans ( with that great 'Survivors' homage at the end for it's spread ) is perfect.
Cesar being a freedom fighter who when offered his own freedom & comfortable life instead chooses to suffer with his kind in captivity until he can free them all, maybe they should have called him Spartacus instead freeing the slaves to escape and find a land of their own, or maybe Moses 'Set my people free' lol
The whole anthropomorphising ( wow that a long word lol ) of animals or machines becoming aware that they are different and subjugated to humans has been done many times, but this one is done particularly well, Cesar asking am I a pet when he see's a dog on a leash like the one he is wearing, then getting in the car seat instead of boot is spot on.
John Lithgow & Brian Cox execelent as always, as was ( surprisingly ) the small part David Hewlett played. The rest of the human cast were a bit lame, but since the primates were the real stars that didnt matter.
The battle of the bridge, primates not just being far stronger physically but tactically out-witting the people who underestimate them. The death of the brave Gorilla, the 'I wont kill you, but I wont save you either' moment with the big baddy, then the tortured ape giving the final nudge ( some will kill when pushed far enough ), all great stuff.
Wide open to a sequel where the humans will no doubt attempt to hunt down the apes forcing a bigger battle ( maybe in and Avatar style bad heavily armed humans against good natural loving species ), while most of the human race die out from the virus, maybe even a cure for the virus having the opposite effect making the surviving humans dumb.[/spoiler]
Mezz says watch this
