[7]

The first two-thirds of this franchise reboot (a second after the 2001 Tim Burton clunker) are surprisingly good. I was expecting to see computer-generated monkeys go nuts for two hours (all of which is saved for the less interesting final act), but before then you get James Franco playing Dr Frankenstein and struggling with responsibility for his creation, a hyper-intelligent orphaned chimp named Caesar (reliably motion-capture performed by Andy Serkis, who also played Gollum in The Lord of the Rings). I like the odd family dynamic between Caesar, Franco, and his Alzheier’s-inflicted father (John Lithgow). I also like how supporting primate characters are introduced and developed over the course of the film. At the end of act two, the movie has the potential for greatness. I would like to have seen a much darker, more tragic third act. With Brian Cox, Freida Pinto, and Tom Felton.

Oscar Nomination: Best Visual Effects