Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

• The second movie in this series, Matt Reeves came in and arguably made the best one in this series, as well as one of the best sci-fi movies we’ve gotten in recent times. This movie opens with one of the coolest shots I’ve ever seen to open a movie, and it perfectly sets the mood for what you’re about to watch. This movie takes all the excitement that was given to you from the first movie, and continues to build on that, as well as use it to make the movie more enjoyable. This is the movie where the action truly begins, both physically, as well as in the story. You get to see the monkey’s civilization, and how they live in the woods with no human contact. It starts out almost peaceful, and it’s fulfilling to know that they aren’t just crazy monkeys trying to attack humans. However, when human contact becomes present, you get to see the dilemmas that Caesar faces. I also love how you don’t just see monkey vs humans, but monkey vs monkey as well. That’s what helps make this movie so great. There is conflict within the conflict, which keeps you invested the entire time. To me, the best part of the movie was being able to see Caesar’s family. It proves that the monkeys aren’t just dangerous animals, but that they have emotions, and they are people as well. It’s a beautiful thing to watch, and the movie goes back and forth from battle to love. It has its moments that really hit your heart, as well as the ones that punch you in the gut. The overall acting of the entire cast was really freaking good, and Andy “The 🐐” Serkis continues to dazzle (and just a special shoutout to Koba, whose design was absolutely amazing). There were so many moments between the humans and monkeys that warmed your heart, and it shows that both parties are equal. The story is also amazing as well, and you get to see stories of both the monkeys and the humans. I also loved the setting, and having the world basically being a desolate wasteland because of the Simian Flu was really smart, as well as continuing the story of the first movie. Last thing I’ll say is hats off to Michael Giacchino. He wrote an ABSOLUTE banger of a score, and this is easily one of the best scores I’ve heard him do. The music is both beautiful yet epic and intense, and it makes this movie what it is. Overall, I’d most definitely recommend it, and it’s just so well made. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!