Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Back where it all began
In this latest installment of the Apes franchise, we learn the apes’ origin.  The story is decent but the writing and acting are sub-par, the score is melodramatic, and a number of the effects are less than impressive, even cheesy.  Harry Potter alum Tom Felton's accent is laughable. And what is Brian Cox doing?   But while the human talent flops, the apes are the stars of this film.  Andy Serkis shows his acting prowess in his portrayal of Caesar.  While the original films (and Tim Burton’s remake) are better than this one, this film serves the franchise by filling in some blanks in the mythology.   It could have been a good addition to the franchise if it had been done better.  As it is, this film feels underdone and unnecessary.  Speaking of the franchise, Collider reports that sequels are already in the works.  Let's hope the rest are better than this one.

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes falls flat with only 2 out of 5 Poblanos!

Director: Rupert Wyatt
Writer: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Starring: Andy Serkis, James Franco, John Lithgow, Tom Felton, Brian Cox
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Metacritic: 68 out of 100