Film Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Director Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a wonderful accomplishment in terms of effects, narrative and action sequences, and a thoroughly entertaining blockbuster.

Ten years after the initial outbreak of simian flu, Caesar leads a growing band of genetically evolved apes. When a group of human survivors stumbles across the apes, the threat to both groups is clear…

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is positioned in rather a curious position in being a sequel to a prequel. Viewers are aware of what is inevitable, so the film focuses on the journey towards this point. Given the outcome revealed in the previous Planet of the Apes movies, it would be understandable if this new film lacked engagement. Thankfully, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes eschews any pitfalls of its positioning.

Set ten years after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Matt Reeves’ movie is a most worthy successor. The film works so well because it focus on a microcosm of activity, which has universal impact. The intricacies and issues of the relationship between humans and the evolved apes are explored in a detail which is compelling, yet allows Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to fulfill its blockbuster expectations.

The narrative explore the fragile relationship, focusing on Caesar from the first film and Malcolm, a new human protagonist. Through their attempts to understand each other, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes explores the best and worst of the human condition, drawing overt parallels between humans and the evolved animals. This is effective, as the character of Caesar is developed from the previous film, giving the audience a protagonist to root for.

There is a brooding inevitability about Dawn of the Planet of the Apes which takes the film to a place of covert horror. Despite knowing how the story will progress, the narrative is nevertheless engaging. Action sequences are finely executed, providing puff to the story’s pensiveness. The special effects in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes are a marvel. Even though viewers will know the apes are not real, the visual effects certainly fool the human eye.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a great sequel and a wonderful example of a blockbuster that provides spectacle as an addition to a thought-provoking story.

Film Review: Let Me In

A remake of the Swedish film Let The Right One In, Let Me In does not stray too far from its antecedent. Although there are a few nice touches added to proceedings, overall this remake seems pretty pointless.

Owen is bullied at school and spends most of his time alone. When a girl moves in next door, he finally has a friend to hang out with. Abby’s arrival, however, coincides with a number of gruesome murders…

Director Matt Reeves follows the blueprint from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel and subsequent screenplay, choosing to alter only minor aspects. Unlike the Swedish film, we are thrust right into the action in Let Me In. The film begins at a climactic moment; most of what follows is a flashback.

The relationship between Owen and Abby is endearing, despite the looming danger. It is difficult not to feel sympathy for Owen; the scenes of bullying are quite brutal. Given this environment, it seems reasonable that Owen would want to maintain his bond with his only friend, even after he finds out about her dark side.

There isn’t the same sense of androgyny to Abby as there is to Eli in Let The Right One In. Thus, her assertion that she is not a girl doesn’t have the same poignancy in the 2010 film. Abby is depicted more brutally than her predecessor, but still maintains a feeling of warmth towards her friend. The relationship between the children is convincing; it is easy to see why these two outsiders would bond.

Reeves’ shooting style is fluid, combining the hand-held style of his earlier film Cloverfield with more traditional techniques. Reeves does however make some interesting choices. The face of Owen’s mother, for example, is never shown clearly. The intention may have been to intensify Owen’s state of isolation and the lack of human warmth he receives. Nevertheless, the deliberate obscuring of his mother’s face becomes distracting, and is more reminiscent of Muppet Babies than anything else.

There was something very cold about Let The Right One In that made it so memorable. Let Me In tries to replicate that atmosphere, but is only partially successful. Although the settings are quite similar, there doesn’t seem to be the same sense of isolation that permeates the Swedish version. Despite its 1980s setting, Let Me In does not appear too removed from reality; there is more of an urgency in the film that cuts through the coolness.

Let Me In does offer some highlights, notwithstanding. The performances by Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz are great, and the film boasts a fantastic 1980s soundtrack. Let Me In is incredibly bloody; a nod to Hammer Productions’ notorious past, perhaps.

Let Me In is a well-made film but is just too similar to Let The Right One In. Given that the Swedish version was released fairly recently, the new version appears quite futile. If an English-language version was required, surely dubbing would have been a sensible option.