So, I went into this movie with high expectations. I repeat that: high expectations. I'm a huge fan of the "Apes" series of movies. Including the Tim Burton debacle from 2001 (I mean Charlton Heston is an ape in it! How could I not love that?!)
This movie not only met my expectations, it exceeded them wildly. This movie is stellar - whether you're a fan of the original or not.
The story is well written and well acted. You actually give a damn about main characters - human and ape. Andy Serkis is a genius. He manages to act so much with his entire body that he gives the CGI techs at Weta Digital a wealth of things to animate so that you can feel everything Ceaser feels during the movie, you can see what he's thinking played out in the way he holds himself in a scene. Brilliant. James Franco (whom I usually couldn't give a rat's ass about) turns in perhaps the best job I've ever seen from him, and John Lithgow - well he always delivers.
I metioned Weta Digital (of LoTR CGI) right? Yeah. Love those guys. Far as I'm concerned? They rule the CGI world with no contest. This is as good as you've ever seen to date.
And if you are a fan? Well keep your eyes open. There are plenty of nods to the original series, without being overt and smacking you in the face about it. They are there, but they never tear your focus away from the story you are currently being told.
In sum: go! go! go! see this movie. You may not love it as much as I did, but you will like it, and will think it was worth the money.
