Caesar the ape is back, after fighting an emotional battle in the previous part, the third in the franchise gets bloodier, tad more intense and gets even more emotional. With already both the previous parts being hailed for its excellent motion capture, heavy yet best special effects choreography that is life like in every aspect; now the third in the series ends on an excellent display of commercial drama. it’s a story of complex characters navigating hectic hardships and the apocalyptic complications of violence. It’s emotional, astounding and difficult and easily one of the best movies of the year.
It’s been more than half a century since the Planet of Apes novel was made into a movie, since then various TV shows, comics and half a dozen movies have come out, each time the reboot have been successful as the directors and script writers seem to touchbases the evolution in a sensitive yet mature style. Directed with great feel and scope by Matt Reeves, "War for the Planet of the Apes" picks up the story 10 years after "Dawn’. Still led by the wise, noble and ferocious yet physically aging Caesar, the apes have built a colony deep in the wood hills and have tried to live peacefully, striving to avoid conflict and in fact avoid any contact with the humans who have survived the sweeping plague.
Following the death of betrayed ape Koba and battles with what’s left of the army, Caesar (Andy Serkis) decides to lead his ape community to a new home where they can finally live in peace avoiding tangible human community. But as the film opens, a regiment of soldiers is advancing upon the apes’ forest hideaway, leading to a violent clash. Caesar spares the lives of a handful of humans so they can tell their commanding office, the Colonel (Woody Harrelson), to back off, but the Colonel instead mounts another attack, killing several apes in Caesar’s immediate family. With revenge as Caesar’s primary task, he starts to work on the cunning General and looks to stop his progress while the other apes set off to find their new home. With the villain or general here capturing the entire ape tribe, it’s a battle of emotions, anger, revenge for homeland with fists out.
Director Matt Reeves does an excellent job of striking a balance between the excitement of the action sequences with also looking deep into the mind of Caesar to confront his sense of right and wrong in his actions. Everything about the film works, from the awe-inspiring beauty captured by cinematographer Michael Seresin to the thoughtful musical score from Michael. Technically there is nothing to find fault, for we have seen the film evolve over the last few years in terms of brilliant CGI and special effects. The slow pace of the movie gives viewers a chance to understand the shifting point of views of the polar opposite characters who have the same goal in mind.
In all, Caesar stands tall atop this franchise, weighs the movie on his shoulder. The camera is zoomed intentionally to cover his rigid rock solid emotions. Motion capture of this ape movie should leave you in awe, the brilliance of characterization weighs through the screenplay.
Verdict : War of the Planet of apes strikes an emotional chord with its brilliance story telling abilities; the film offers best in terms of technical expertise by offering superior motion capture and special effects, falls in the must watch category.
