Rise of the Planet of the Apes isn’t perfect but it is a fine way to reboot the series with a new trilogy, especially after the disastrous Tim Burton version. This addition actually gives the apes more character which will be furthered in the sequel.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
(2011)
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Suspense/Thriller, Drama
Fox | PG13 – 105 min. – $39.99 | June 13, 2017
Date Published: 06/28/2017 | Author: The Movieman
|
|
|||||||||||
THE MOVIE — 3.5/5 |
|
Plot Synopsis: Will Rodman (JAMES FRANCO), a scientist in San Francisco, is experimenting with a drug that he hopes will cure his father’s (JOHN LITHGOW) Alzheimer’s disease. After his work is deemed a failure, Will becomes the guardian of Caesar (ANDY SERKIS), an infant chimp who was exposed in-utero to Will’s drug. Caesar displays unusual intelligence, and Will decides to continue his experiments secretly. But as Caesar’s intellect and abilities grow, he comes to represent a threat to man’s dominion over Earth. Quick Hit Review: For whatever reason I had avoided seeing Rise of the Planet of the Apes, maybe because I’m not as enamored with the original from the 60s and 70s or still suffering from effects of Tim Burton’s version from 2000, but I found this reboot of the series to be rather entertaining. The performances from the human cast were serviceable, though Franco was impressive, but excels with motion captured, headlined by Andy Serkis as Caesar, bringing some genuine emotion behind the CGI, as he had done on the Lord of the Rings films. Directed by Rupert Wyatt, Rise does a fine job re-establishing the series with a more grounded feel and in conjunction with striking visual effects, even beyond the apes, I found this to be an enjoyable sci-fi actioner. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.5/5 |
|
This release comes with a textured-like slip cover. Inside is a code for the Digital HD copy as well as a Blu-ray Copy. Audio Commentaries
Both of these tracks are rather low key though the writers’ commentary at least has more give and take, but both offer some technical info on the making of the film. Deleted Scenes (12:00; HD) – There are 11 scenes either trimmed or left on the cutting room floor, probably due to pacing issues and keeping the runtime down. Mythology of the Apes (7:11; HD) examines the Apes franchise and carrying on its legacy and taking a new view on it. The Genius of Andy Serkis (7:48; HD) looks at the actor’s mo-cap work as Caesar. A New Generation of Apes (9:41; HD) is about blending visual effects with motion capture. Scene Breakdown (1:31; HD) is a feature where you can watch a scene and toggle between Final Scene, Early Animation and Performance Capture. Breaking Motion Capture Boundaries (8:43; HD) is a breakdown of mo-cap and live action filming, focusing on the Golden State Bridge. Composing the Score (8:07; HD) has Patrick Doyle discuss his process for the score. Also included: Character Concept Art Gallery and The Great Apes (22:37; HD) gives history lessons of the variety. |
4K VIDEO – 5.0/5, BD VIDEO – 4.5/5
|
| Fox releases Rise of the Planet of the Apes marking its 4K debut and although the Blu-ray already looked decent, this 2160p ultra high-definition transfer looks fantastic with nicely defined detail (the close-ups of the ape’s fur looks excellent) and a fine color array from the darker shots, and a fair portion of the film is darkly lit, to some pops of color especially within the lab. |
4K/BD AUDIO – 4.5/5 |
| Both the 4K and Blu-ray discs come with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and although it would’ve been nice for Fox to upgrade the UHD with Atmos or DTS:X, this one still sounds quite good with great depth both during the action scenes and quieter moments and dialogue levels come through clearly through the center channel. |
OVERALL – 3.75/5 |
|
Overall, Rise of the Planet of the Apes isn’t perfect but it is a fine way to reboot the series with a new trilogy, especially after the disastrous Tim Burton version. This addition actually gives the apes more character which will be furthered in the sequel. This 4K/B combo pack offers amazing video, great audio and a nice selection of bonus features. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.