Grade • A-
DVD • "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" projects a bleak future for humanity — but a great future for computer-augmented performance. Outside a post-epidemic San Francisco, a group of human survivors venture out in hopes of hooking up a power generator.
They come into contact with a colony of apes, who have developed a complex civilization under the strong and compassionate leadership of Caesar (Andy Serkis), a chimp with enhanced intelligence. Caesar agrees to an uneasy alliance with the humans (led by Jason Clarke and Keri Russell), which rankles both the San Francisco colony leader (Gary Oldman) and the warrior apes in Caesar's camp.
Director Matt Reeves ("Let Me In") begins with a focus on the apes' daily life — the human characters don't appear for nearly 30 minutes — that illuminates and, for want of a better word, humanizes the primates' plight.
His secret weapon is Serkis, who graduates from Gollum to give a master class in physical acting behind the computer-generated mask.
This photo released by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation shows Andy Serkis as Caesar in a scene from the film, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." (AP Photo/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)
In this photo released by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Toby Kebbell, as Koba, leads a battle in a scene from the film, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." Hollywood stuntman Terry Notary plays more than 100 primates in the film, and also taught the film?s stars and stuntmen how to find their simian side. (AP Photo/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)
| Courtesy 20th Century Fox Malcolm (Jason Clarke, right) tries to make peace with Caesar (Andy Serkis, left) Koba (Toby Kebbell, center) and Maurice (Karin Konoval) in "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." It opens nationwide on July 11.
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