Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

Let’s face it, a society where man and ape are swapping places on the evolutionary ladder offers a pretty strong hook on which to hang some thought-provoking ideas.

Hollywood’s new take on the Planet Of The Apes saga, which began with 2011’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, is shaping up as a thoughtful, thrilling series. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is even better than its predecessor.

Ten years on from Rise..., a lethal flu epidemic borne of the experimental drug trials that gave the apes their evolutionary boost has wiped out a large percentage of the world’s human population. While Caesar (Andy Serkis), a chimp made extraordinarily intelligent by genetic engineering, and human leader Malcolm (Jason Clarke) edge towards common ground, the fear and distrust on both sides slowly reaches boiling point, with Koba – an ape scarred physically and mentally by years of human “scientific” torture – eager to wreak revenge.

Director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) is a skilled enough showman to make simmering tensions explode spectacularly, but also spends enough time developing characters on both sides so that seeing them clash has more than a touch of tragedy, bringing a degree of emotional and psychological complexity many movies of its kind wouldn’t even attempt to convey.