Writer: Lester Gan Wai Lun

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Watch this if you liked: “Planet of the Apes” , “King Kong” and “Avatar”

Being one of the highly anticipated movies of 2011, director Rupert Wyatt ("The Escapist" and "Get The Picture") delivers a rich, clever and highly rewarding film with "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes". When it comes to the tough task of creating an origin story that must live up to the expectations of die-hard fans of the 1968 release of "Planet Of The Apes", Rupert Wyatt is the perfect man for the job.

Set in present day San Francisco, the timeline of this movie is by all means confusing when one treats it as a prequel to the 1968 release. However, like Rupert Wyatt said, the movie is not the continuation of previous ones; it's an original origin story. So taking that into account, the movie is just simply magical. The "X-Men: First Class" to the "Planet Of The Apes" franchise if you will, where the story instills elements from all previous films, but at the same time isn't necessarily linked to them. Fans of the franchise will get to watch and experience a more subtle take of how Caesar (Andy Serkis) came to be (at least one that makes sense and is believable), which eventually leads to the onset of war for supremacy between man and ape.

James Franco ("127 hours" and "Spiderman") as scientist Will Rodman was outstanding, getting every aspect of his character right, portraying a devoted scientist with a strong hint of compassion perfectly. The same goes for Andy Serkis, widely known for his character as Gollum in the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy, he was put to the test once again, this time having to portray a chimpanzee with human-like characteristics, and did an impeccable job while at it. The rest of the cast members held very menial roles, but as the movie plays on the big screen, audiences will soon realise how they are every bit just as necessary for the movie to be as great as it is.

The plot is a mysterious one, leaving the audience with many unanswered questions, which feels like a build up for a sequel of different possibilities. However on the action side of things, it was phenomenal and possibly the best of its kind, with the right amount of well staged action, but at the same time huge enough to be satisfying and also counting in the fact that it is brought to you by the same team that gave you the special effects of "Avatar", moviegoers can rest assured that they will experience apes in the most realistic form possible (as compared to the previous films where it was just men in ape suits and make up).

To sum it up, "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes" is a refreshing addition to the franchise, creating a platform where sequels can be built upon. A must watch for fans of the franchise and moviegoers alike.

Cinema Online, 28 July 2011