Andy Serkis’ directorial debut could easily be the feel-good movie of the year.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ½ Josip Knezevic
Master character actor Andy Serkis arises from the depths of Mordor to bring us a surprising directorial debut with Breathe; a biographical drama based on the life of polio sufferer Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield). Yes, it’s quite a different landscape for the man who brought us Caesar in this year’s War for the Planet of the Apes, but while Breathe may not reach the same epic heights as films that have featured Serkis in front of the camera, it’s still a solid, feel-good movie to round off 2017.
Predominantly marketed as a love story, the first half of the film upholds what the trailers promise. It’s all classic, romantic fare as we follow the blossoming relationship between Cavendish and his future wife (Claire Foy) amidst his struggles to come to terms with the reality of his condition. Thankfully, the second half moves away from traditional formulas and derivative storylines as Cavendish becomes a pioneering advocate for the disabled, thanks almost entirely to his devoted wife. Foy is the true star here, both in terms of her character’s impact on Cavendish, and lifting the film as a whole with her performance.
The stronger second half is certainly an emotional affair; this reviewer was surprised that a couple of tears (yes, a couple) were trying to escape towards the end. There’s a great payoff at the film’s conclusion that rewards you for investing in Cavendish and his relationships, and drives home the film’s overall message, making Breathe a worthy story to be told.
Serkis has done a fine job on his first feature, with some truly breathtaking scenery shots and a strong attention to detail throughout the costumes as well as the British country settings of the late 50’s and early 60’s. My only hope is that he continues to grow and perhaps take on grander settings. If anyone can make an adaption of Tolkein’s The Silmarillion, surely Gollum can. But perhaps that’s just the Lord of the Rings bias in me talking.
Breathe is available in Australian cinemas from Boxing Day
Matt Reeves delivers a fitting film regarding the fate of the planet in what is hopefully the final installment of a splendid reboot trilogy.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Zachary Cruz-Tan
Here, at last, is a big Hollywood movie that puts its $150 million budget to work and reaps the returns. All the money seems to have gone into creating the most believable CGI apes the world has ever seen, but, being a war movie, there are also explosions, gunfire, and in a key moment, an avalanche. The skill of all these effects is so superior we don’t even notice them. Instead, we’re trapped by the charisma of Caesar, the chimp that begins as a prophetic militaristic hero and later evolves into a leader with biblical responsibility.
War for the Planet of the Apes is a crowning achievement, not just as a blockbuster to fill multiplexes but as a definitive seminar on the human condition. This is a compassionate film that is bookended by battles and filled in the middle with quietness and reflection. It is often sparse, but never empty. There is a certain kind of commendation reserved for movies bold enough to string together extended scenes in which the only dialogue must be read on screen while computer-animated apes gesture frantically in sign language without boring us to tears.
The situation between the über intelligent apes and the equally protective humans has disintegrated into all-out war. Caesar (a phenomenal Andy Serkis in motion-capture) maintains a stronghold in the forest but hears of a land of milk and honey that rests comfortably away from the terrifying gaze of The Colonel (Woody Harrelson), a rogue commander who has had to make horrific decisions in his past and will no doubt have to make more before the movie’s end. The plot is essentially a quest of vengeance, after The Colonel mistakenly assassinates members of Caesar’s clan. But there is a grander scheme at play here; a fight for survival that will determine the balance of power on the planet. It’s all very serious stuff.
Director Matt Reeves, who established the tone of this franchise going forward with 2014’s utterly brilliant Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, approaches the grim material from a place of warmth. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt so strongly for a character composed of pixels, yet Caesar is entirely gripping as the commander-in-chief of a species destined for peace. In the hands of Andy Serkis, he emerges as a well-worn figure of respect and stature; a keen tactician with a heart of gold and a face chiselled out of strife.
Harrelson is equally impressive as the anguished foe, fearful that a mutation in the disease, which nearly exterminated the human race, will drop him down a rung on the evolutionary ladder. Some humans are already exhibiting sub-intellect behaviour, like the little girl Nova (Amiah Miller), whose presence in the film is a neat little warning that the only way for humans to coexist with the animal kingdom is if our higher thinking is severed.
This is that rare blockbuster in which all the pieces fit snugly together and the entire picture makes perfect sense. It may not be as fresh as Rise of the Planet of the Apes or as emotionally complex as Dawn, but why should it be? There is a magical moment in which Nova crosses a military courtyard to feed undernourished prisoners, in full view of station security, and somehow manages to evade capture. It is a gentle touch, a powerful miracle of war, and one of the best scenes in one of the best movies of the year.
War for the Planet of the Apes is available in Australian cinemas from July 27
Sadly, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is a mere shadow of its predecessor; whilst the special effects are very well executed, it is difficult to be equally awed when seeing the exact same effects for a second time.
In Matt Reeves’Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, more than a decade has passed since Caesar the chimpanzee freed a variety of apes from human facilities, and led them into the wilderness of San Francisco in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Scientist Will Rodman (James Franco), who raised Caesar, and tested an Alzheimer’s drug upon the chimp, hence giving Caesar super intelligence, is now believed to be deceased, along with the rest of the human race, as a result of a virus that spread from the escaped apes. A small group of human survivors, who are genetically immune to the virus, accidentally come across Caesar and his followers when seeking a dam to provide power to their colony, which exists on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Malcolm (Jason Clarke), the leader of the humans, forges an agreement with Caesar whereby the humans are allowed to enter the ape territory to fix the dam, but the partnership between Malcolm and Caesar becomes strained when members of both species object to the alliance. The tensions between ape and human become catastrophic when chimpanzee Koba (Toby Kebbell) takes over leadership of the apes, and declares war, slaughtering humans and their sympathisers. Simultaneously, a deep bond of friendship develops between Caesar and Malcolm, which soon proves to be the only thing that could potentially bring peace between the species. Gary Oldman, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Keri Russell also star.
I can’t exactly say that Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes is among my favourite films, but I can certainly appreciate its strengths. The motion capture CGI work on the apes was spectacular, not only due to the sheer number of apes that often appeared in one shot, but also due to the attention to detail. Another excellent aspect of the first film was the relationship between James Franco and Caesar, which was portrayed with utmost credibility, and functioned as a sturdy anchor upon which the rest of the story was based. Considering all of this, I walked into the cinema with very high expectations in regard to the quality of the special effects, and the level of character development, but unfortunately Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is a mere shadow of its predecessor.
The film opens with an excruciatingly long montage (that easily could have been expressed in a quarter of the time) that provides exposition on the virus that has wiped out the human race. It is possibly the worst introduction to a film I have ever seen. The beginning of a film should hook the viewer in, and inspire you to continue watching. You should be excited to see what happens next, not bored out of your brains. After this dreary opening montage the audience then has to endure multiple scenes of ape talk, in which we witness the way of life of Caesar and his ape subjects. Twenty odd minutes later, the first human character enters the story, and only then does the film start to become watchable.
For me, the effectiveness of the first film rested upon its ability to balance the number of scenes involving people, versus scenes containing apes conversing in sign language. In Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes James Franco’s character was brought into the story quite early, so the audience had someone to latch onto and connect with almost instantly. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes manages to find this balance further down the track, and attempts to use Jason Clarke as a replacement for James Franco, but it fails to have the same impact as the first film. It takes far too long for the audience to get to know Jason Clarke’s character, and even then his character is severely under developed.
That’s not to say that there is an issue with Jason Clarke’s performance; the problem lies in the writing. Clarke is an Australian actor who you may recognise from films such as The Great Gatsby and Zero Dark Thirty, and he certainly does the best he can with what he has been given in Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. He is very convincing, and his relationship with Caesar is also credible, but no real substance has been written into his character. The same applies to Keri Russell and another Aussie actor, Kodi Smit-Mcphee, who you may remember from Romulus, My Father; both deliver, but each of their character’s are highly underwritten. Gary Oldman’s performance is satisfactory, however, as the only big name present in the film, I expected more from him.
The special effects in Dawn Of The Planet of The Apes are very well executed, but whilst impressive, it is difficult to be equally awed when seeing the exact same effects for a second time. There is no doubting the immense skill required to create these special effects, but as the first film was released three years ago, I was expecting to be even further blown away by the effects in this latest film. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes doesn’t improve on its predecessor, but rather rests on its laurels.
I was also disappointed by the 3D technology in this latest instalment. Unlike Transformers: Age Of Extinction, which takes full advantage of the potential of 3D, the 3D effects in Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes are fairly average, and I completely forgot that I was even watching a 3D movie after the first 10 or so minutes.
Overall, the film contained some beautiful, heart-warming moments between ape and man alike, but there were also some utterly bizarre scenes, such as one in which Koba rides on horseback through flames whilst firing two machine guns. Koba’s decision to mutiny and takeover leadership of the apes is a significant turning point in the story, but given the fact that he was released from a laboratory by Caesar in the first film, I found it difficult to believe that Koba would ever betray him. Due to these writing flaws, and the fact that the film was more of a step backwards from the first movie, I have to give Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes 2.5 stars.
Hooked On Film 