Humanity has been devastated by the misnamed Simian Flu that escaped from the lab in the last film – less than 10 million people are left alive on the whole planet. It really is magical.ĭawn picks up 10 years after its predecessor (the good-but-not-great reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes). And the actors who play the apes imbue them with a level of humanity that demands our sympathy. The special effects in this film are on a level we haven’t seen before – it’s nearly impossible to tell what’s real and what’s CG. Much of Dawn’s success should be credited to Andy Serkis, who reprises his role as the lead ape, Caesar.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is way better than any movie that’s a sequel to a reboot of a reboot of a 5-film franchise that peaked in the first film.

It certainly beat out other early contenders like X-Men: Days of Future Past and Edge of Tomorrow to be the most profound and poignant of the blockbusters ( Guardians of the Galaxy is the movie to beat this summer, since you didn’t ask). Dawn of the Planet of the Apes might just be the movie of the summer.

Planet of the apes caesar symbol