Rise of the planet of the apes netflix
Their villainous roles are distinctly two-dimensional, although the actors are good enough (especially Cox) to at least imbue their scenes with some spark. Despite his relatively small role, it’s Lithgow, more than any other performer, who helps sell the interaction between man and ape in some genuinely subtle and tender moments.įaring less well are David Oyelowo, as evil corporate head Jacobs, and Brian Cox as Landon, owner of a less than idyllic primate ‘sanctuary’. More effective, though given far less screen time, is John Lithgow as Rodman’s Alzheimer’s-stricken father. Franco judges the tone of the material well and hits all the notes you’d expect, but you never fully invest in his character, because, well, there isn’t much to engage with. For the most part, this approach works, but there are occasions where the film would benefit from prioritizing character over rushing to the next plot point.Ĭertainly, in this cut of the film, while James Franco is perfectly serviceable as scientist, Will Rodman, his character is never anything other than perfunctory. However, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes is most definitely not a Romero film and director Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist), along with editors Conrad Buff and Mark Goldblatt, cut it with a pace, efficiency and confidence that owes more to modern action movies than anything else.
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If anything, these choices pushes the franchise into a slightly more George Romero-esque vein than the more epic scale of the original films. Rooting the film in the very real and emotive world of gene therapy, big pharmaceutical companies and animal testing gives the film potency, relevance and credibility, something lacking in most modern sci-fi pictures.