Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Deuce66, Dec 16, 2013.

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  1. Olias of Sunhill

    Olias of Sunhill Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jim Creek, CO, USA
    Big Apes fan from the original movies, and I liked but did not love Dawn. My likes and dislikes, with as few spoilers as possible:

    The bad:

    Cardboard-cutout characters (both human and ape)
    Thoroughly predictable plot
    Dialogue straight out of a thousand other movies ("I'm going alone." "I'm coming with you." "No, it's too dangerous." "There's nothing left here for me." Etc.)
    Lapses in logic and science (subways clear and walkable 10 years after collapse of civilization? not likely)
    Missed opportunities for social commentary (gas station, Federal Reserve building, etc.)

    The good:

    Absolutely amazing CGI of the apes
    Landscapes (post-apocalyptic city, forest, ape lair, etc.) totally mesmerizing and convincing
    Some clever inside jokes for old Apes fogies
    Smarter in many ways than most modern action sci-fi movies

    I consider myself an old-fashioned sci-fi guy -- think Rendezvous With Rama and A Canticile for Leibowitz. I'll take smart observations about humanity and the universe over pulse-pounding action every time. The film makers here seem to have tried hard to satisfy both sides of that equation, and while the movie worked as summertime escapism I didn't feel it quite achieved the level of creativity and thoughtfulness that I appreciate in sci-fi narratives.
     
    turnersmemo likes this.
  2. conception

    conception Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    I decided to take a gander at this at the local drive-in and it was a worthwhile watch. I thought based on the previews that it would drift too far into typical summer blockbuster territory, but it was actually much slower placed that I thought and had a satisfying tension throughout most of the movie. It definitely reminded me of "The Empire Strikes Back", a dark chapter that seems only to get darker throughout the length.
     
  3. Is there a good on-line list of all the references to other Ape movies that are seen or heard in "Dawn..."?

    I caught a few, but have the feeling there may be a dozen or more than I missed.
     
  4. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I agree. The 3D was very subtle and natural looking. I enjoyed it for exactly that, but 2D would have worked just as well.

    I think it's a good sign, that we reached a stage where 3D doesn't have to show off any more. It's like colour in movies, after the novelty effect had worn off. Just a tool to make it look more real.
     
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  5. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    So I finally saw it two days ago and was very impressed. I already loved the first one and the second didn't disappoint. This series could become truely great and I might end up liking it more than the original. First of all, it shows what CGI can bring to modern filmmaking. The apes simply look real, not just well done for its time, like the old ones. It's like watching real animals who can talk. And even when talking, they still sound like animals.

    I'm very curious what will happen in the next one. I somehow hope that they will skip ahead in time, instead of giving us a lengthy battle for the planet of the apes (though I would miss Caesar). When I first watched the first one, I thought they would go for a totally different story (since the intelligent apes are a result of genetic engineering and not a time paradox), but rewatching it a few days ago, I caught the bits about the missing mars mission, so they obviously are going to have humans land on a future planet of the apes after all.

    Anyway, I'm an Apesfan (what happened to him anyway?).
     
  6. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    BTW, does anyone else think that "dawn" should come before "rise"?
     
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  7. mikeyt

    mikeyt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Ah, that's an interesting question. Though I think in the context of these movies that it works. Rise was pretty much the birth of the evolved apes, Dawn is their real beginning assuming that following the movie that apes begin their real domination of the earth.
     
    wolfram likes this.
  8. Has anyone see "Dawn..." twice? Not sure I want to spend another $11-$13 again, but I'd love to see it again. Will probably catch it on HBO at some point, I'm sure.

    And a second call for... Is there a good on-line list of all the references to other Ape movies that are seen or heard in "Dawn..."?
    I caught a few, but have the feeling there may be a dozen or more than I missed.
     
  9. mikeyt

    mikeyt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I saw it twice and loved it both times. Though one of those times was for work, so maybe it doesn't count. Do these help?

    http://whatculture.com/film/dawn-of...r-eggs-and-references-you-probably-missed.php

    http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-21-nods-to-classic-apes/
     
    wolfram likes this.
  10. DreadPikathulhu

    DreadPikathulhu Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    I finally caught up with this one last night. Much better than I expected, which is why I didn't see it when it came out.

    My only issue was that some of the GGI was pretty dodgy when they were showing large numbers of apes moving around through the forest in the daylight. The sunlight didn't hit them properly, so it looked like they were just pasted onto a forest backdrop. Other scenes, especially those in the dark or close-ups were much better.
     
    mikeyt likes this.
  11. jeatleboe

    jeatleboe Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    I'm a tremendous PLANET OF THE APES fan from the 1970's.
    I hated the 2001 abomination...
    ... but I liked RISE and DAWN.. I think this new reboot is done Very well (and I prefer DAWN to RISE!).
    I generally despise CGI or CG-Capture... however, these two new Apes films really utilized that effect well, I must say. They've also captured the spirit of the original series.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2015
    mikeyt and Lownote30 like this.
  12. Scope J

    Scope J Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan
    Wow! , i liked it !
     
  13. Deuce66

    Deuce66 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Canada
    Here's the first little teaser for the next one coming July 14/2017.

     
    5th-beatle, KevinP, JAG and 1 other person like this.
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