DVD review: Rise of the Planet of the Apes ****

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7:

Rise of the Planet of the Apes ****

Genre: Action/Sci-Fi

Rating: PG-13
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Actors: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow

The Oscar winning visual effects team that brought to life Lord of the Rings and Avatar joined forces to create the prequel Rise of Planet of the Apes. Loosely based on the 1972 Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, this interpretation has the advantage of employing CGI technology to give a very convincing portrayal of a talking ape.

Will (James Franco), a young genetic engineer developing a drug for Alzheimer’s, brings home and raises Caesar, a young chimp with enhanced brain cells, a result of a mutation in his drug. As Caesar matures he becomes self-aware and his intelligence grows, he understands that he is superior to the arrogant and cruel humans. Eventually it leads to him leading his fellow simians in an epic battle against the humans. While the original Planet of Apes series addressed various social issues, this latest version is more concerned about action and special effects. But because they have done such an incredible job in giving Caesar almost human characteristics the viewer almost has to think of the some of the ethical and moral questions, such as animal testing, that this movie raises.