I'm finding it really annoying that this film seems to be pretty good. Your comments are consistent with the reviews I've seen, but I'm in turmoil and have been since I first saw the trailer. :stars:
While it looks like a great story with a fair bit of action, I can't get past the fundamental fact that they might ignoring the point and message of the original film...
which was about the self-destructive nature of man and how we are destined to destroy ourselves in a cycle of violence. I watched the Blu-Ray of the first film just last night and the motive is very strong, such as when the Professor tells Taylor about their sacred scrolls warning them not to allow man his freedom or he shall make war on his brother. Hence the ending and the famous line. Apes inherited what was left of the earth.
Now at least a precedent has been set by the sequels to allow wriggle room and in the first film there is a Deus Ex Machina to consider: the ape who wrote the scrolls on which their culture is governed must have had some deeper understanding of mankind to recognise the threat, implying an intelligent ape occupied the same time as man. Then again there are more humans in the sequel, though I struggle to remember.
A review of the new film that I read today supported my fear because he concluded that it neatly sets up the original plot, but disregards the idea we would destroy ourselves as a race by introducing destructive apes and therefore "lets mankind off the hook".
I spoiler-ed that because although it was a published review in a newspaper, I do think people who still haven't seen the original film would be surprised by its potency, even if they know what happens in the closing moments.
Even though I know the film very well, that underlying message is still powerful and rather dark. It would disappoint me if they've undermined it.
I've thought about this a little more and I think I've figured out what my biggest reservation is. Beyond the fact that I thought it looked like most of the important bits were shared in the trailers I've seen.
I should mention that I can get...very emotional watching movies at times. It seems like it hits me worse for some reason if animals are involved. Peter Jackson's King Kong hit me really, really hard later in the movie...mostly because of the brilliant performance by Andy Serkis. There were some beautiful and touching moments with Kong and..umm..rats..I forgot her name..the woman Naomi Watts played, and then all the idiots showed up and Kong ends up dead. I was weeping in the theater. I have only seen the movie once and I won't watch it again. I just can't handle seeing that again. Just thinking about it again now has me crying. Yes I'm a wimp. I saw the original Kong and while I didn't like how it ended, it didn't hit me that way. I never expected how I reacted. With Serkis playing Caesar, I have a feeling he may get to me that way again. I'm not someone that likes getting that sad over a movie. I'm not someone who wants to watch a sad movie every so often so I can cry. I tend to avoid movies if I know certain things will happen. After seeing the trailers to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I can tell some things are going to happen that will upset me.
I'm putting the rest of this in spoiler tags just in case.
From the trailers, I get that Franco's character has been doing research, trying to find a treatment or cure for Althizmers. He ends up taking a chimp home and uses his drug on the chimp..Caesar, who then becomes very intelligent. Franco teaches him sign language and it looks like Caesar becomes very attached to him and the father of Franco's character..like a family. Then something happens and Caesar is taken back to the lab and stuck in a cage all while he is signing that he wants to go home. I'm thinking he is taken there because he went out of the house and did something he saw as protecting the father when someone was having a fit in the street. So Caesar is taken away from the really the only home he's known. He didn't ask to be experimented on. He adjusted to it, seems to have come to see them as his family, and then he's taken away from them. That will probably really upset me. I remember seeing in the trailers Caesar hitting the glass signing that he wants to go home while Franco's character tells him he can't go home. That little bit already kind of bothered me in the trailer..along with a few of the shots of Caesar's face where he looks so sad. I'm thinking now that I won't deal well with that part of the movie. Though I'm guessing all that is what motivates Caesar to swipe the drug and expose the other chimps.
Ok..I'm done now..I didn't mean to take over your thread. I just got to thinking more, especially when you mentioned Caesar's emotions.
Now I don't know what I'll do..maybe I'm over thinking it. But then again...I didn't expect to react to King Kong like I did either...
No I haven't seen the movie. I got all that from the trailers I've seen. Which is why I've said that I kind of feel like I've seen the movie already. Maybe the trailers in other countries aren't showing as much.
So was I right about Caesar getting attached to Franco and his dad? And he wasn't happy about being locked up back in the lab...and that leads to him breaking out of his cage, stealing the drug and exposing all the other chimps in the lab..and leading the uprising. Can he communicate with the other chimps after he exposes them to the drug?
I had been thinking I wouldn't see it..even before I really thought about why...then I saw some good reviews of it, and was sort of interested. I just don't know. I do think Caesar and his emotional distress will get to me, especially knowing that Serkis is performing as him. So..I'm thinking I won't see it. But I could change my mind. lol And I already really, strongly dislike Draco. I'm not sure I need more against him. I may end up never wanting to see him again. ;)
Ok..well...I wasn't thinking my clearest earlier. I know we've had long discussions about different movies before. My brain must have taken a little nap earlier. :)
Yes, the trailer gave it all away... But most people want to see the last 30min :laugh:
Can he communicate with the other chimps after he exposes them to the drug? [/spoiler]
Umh, yes. In fact, it's around the time that he organizes the revolution the he utters he first "word": No. Hope I am not spoiling too much, but since you are unlikely to se it... Btw, I forgot to mention, Caesar is not being experimented on at any point, he inherited his ability from his mother, who had been given the drug.
what I liked was, the the film indeed does not end with a successful revolution. That would have been ridiculous and the plot hole I referred to; there just isn't enough apes...
Instead they introduce the fact, that the virus that make the apes smart is fatal for humans. This then plays out through the end credits, supposedly killing the majority of humans tipping the scale in favor of the apes, hence opening up the chance for a sequel. I found that rather clever.
All the apes try to do here is get to the Redwood Forrest north of SF in order to be free. Much smaller scale than the title suggest. At the Forrest Franco meets Caesar again, trying to take him home. Here Caesar speaks a seond time, the three words Caesar is home.
Yes, the trailer gave it all away... But most people want to see the last 30min :laugh:
Can he communicate with the other chimps after he exposes them to the drug? [/spoiler]
Umh, yes. In fact, it's around the time that he organizes the revolution the he utters he first "word": No. Hope I am not spoiling too much, but since you are unlikely to se it... Btw, I forgot to mention, Caesar is not being experimented on at any point, he inherited his ability from his mother, who had been given the drug.
Ahhh...ok. I thought Caesar is the one who had been given the drug..it seems that way in the trailers. Was Caesar born in the lab? But having him be the son of a research subject makes more sense...especially with setting up potential future movies. So that the offspring of all the chimps or apes - I can't keep that straight - will have the potential to be smarter like Caesar instead of the exposure doing it when he breaks out of the lab.
what I liked was, the the film indeed does not end with a successful revolution. That would have been ridiculous and the plot hole I referred to; there just isn't enough apes...
That's a good point. I hadn't thought about that before, but really, there would have only been so many apes at the lab when Caesar exposes them..it isn't like every ape in the world is there.
Instead they introduce the fact, that the virus that make the apes smart is fatal for humans. This then plays out through the end credits, supposedly killing the majority of humans tipping the scale in favor of the apes, hence opening up the chance for a sequel. I found that rather clever.
All the apes try to do here is get to the Redwood Forrest north of SF in order to be free. Much smaller scale than the title suggest. At the Forrest Franco meets Caesar again, trying to take him home. Here Caesar speaks a seond time, the three words Caesar is home.
It's a virus that makes the apes smart? I thought it was a drug. One that was hoped to be used to treat althizmers - no clue how to spell that. How are people exposed to it? Were some given it to treat althizmers? That does set things up good for another movie..giving an explanation for why the apes are able to take over. Add that to the fact that the offspring of the apes exposed have the potential of being smarter like Caesar...that makes sense.
I can't remember now from the original movies...was Caesar a character in them?
I thought I already answered yesterday :headscratch:
Ahhh...ok. I thought Caesar is the one who had been given the drug..it seems that way in the trailers. Was Caesar born in the lab? But having him be the son of a research subject makes more sense...especially with setting up potential future movies. So that the offspring of all the chimps or apes - I can't keep that straight - will have the potential to be smarter like Caesar instead of the exposure doing it when he breaks out of the lab.
Yes, he was born in the lab. And I didn't even think of this being the basis that all later offspring will be smart too :slaphead: Good point and actually clever done by th efilm makers.
It's a virus that makes the apes smart? I thought it was a drug. One that was hoped to be used to treat althizmers - no clue how to spell that. How are people exposed to it? Were some given it to treat althizmers? That does set things up good for another movie..giving an explanation for why the apes are able to take over. Add that to the fact that the offspring of the apes exposed have the potential of being smarter like Caesar...that makes sense.
Well, it's said to be a virus that, once injected, will help the brain to repair itself. However, antibodies are formed and eventually overcome the virus which is an intruder. Then they make a stronger virus that can withstand the antibodies, which is fine for apes but fatal for humans. It is transmitted via bodily fluids. After patient zero breathes in some gas that contained the virus he gets the chance to sneeze on somebody. That someone is a pilot, so the stuff gets around the world quick :laugh:
Jon already covered the final question.
I thought I already answered yesterday :headscratch:
Ahhh...ok. I thought Caesar is the one who had been given the drug..it seems that way in the trailers. Was Caesar born in the lab? But having him be the son of a research subject makes more sense...especially with setting up potential future movies. So that the offspring of all the chimps or apes - I can't keep that straight - will have the potential to be smarter like Caesar instead of the exposure doing it when he breaks out of the lab.
Yes, he was born in the lab. And I didn't even think of this being the basis that all later offspring will be smart too :slaphead: Good point and actually clever done by th efilm makers.
That does seem to be a good move for setting up future movies. And maybe they'll do something with the apes getting a little smarter in each generation or something ..stronger genetics or whatever...until they get to where they do take over.
It's a virus that makes the apes smart? I thought it was a drug. One that was hoped to be used to treat althizmers - no clue how to spell that. How are people exposed to it? Were some given it to treat althizmers? That does set things up good for another movie..giving an explanation for why the apes are able to take over. Add that to the fact that the offspring of the apes exposed have the potential of being smarter like Caesar...that makes sense.
Well, it's said to be a virus that, once injected, will help the brain to repair itself. However, antibodies are formed and eventually overcome the virus which is an intruder. Then they make a stronger virus that can withstand the antibodies, which is fine for apes but fatal for humans. It is transmitted via bodily fluids. After patient zero breathes in some gas that contained the virus he gets the chance to sneeze on somebody. That someone is a pilot, so the stuff gets around the world quick :laugh:
Ahhh...ok. A virus that is supposed to be helpful.... That seems like a ...decent set up for future movies too. Ahh yes..another movie spreading some nasty virus through airplane travel. :laugh:
Jon already covered the final question.
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Ok. Well it seems like there is a little more than I originally though...but I still think I'll hold off on seeing it. Maybe if it turns up on cable in a year. I still think I'd have...issues with Caesar and his emotions.