Every once in a while, a sequel comes around that is even better than the original film it follows. Films like Evil Dead 2, The Dark Knight Rises, and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan are a few examples that seem to be mentioned every time the topic comes up. Another sequel is joining the ranks of “we did it better than our predecessors,” and is going to be available to stream on HBO Max.
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Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes hits the streamer tomorrow, and it couldn’t come soon enough. The sequel to Rise of The Planet Of The Apes – the excellent franchise reboot – it dropped back in 2014 and currently sits at a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie takes place a decade after a virus known as the simian flu wiped out the majority of the world’s humans, leaving genetically enhanced chimpanzee, Caesar, played by Andy Serkis, and his colony of followers to further their now-established civilization in the Muir Woods. A small group of humans survived the outbreak, forming their own small colony and forcing Caesar to decide how to handle them—protect his people at all costs, or establish a new relationship with humans.
It Deserves All Of The Critical Acclaim It Received
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes was beloved by audiences and critics alike, with Brian Eggert saying that “it’s one of the most intelligent films of 2014, and yet, despite its lofty intellectual ambitions, never for a moment does the film skimp on its blockbuster thrills or summer movie requirements.” And the film is still receiving reviews and five-star ratings more than a decade later, with one viewer saying that it’s “an awesome sequel and easily one of the best entries into the entire franchise. The motion capture special effects look amazing with its careful balance of realism and emotional expressions. And the post-apocalyptic ruined cities with all the greens slowly reversing the concrete to nature is breathtaking. The action is tense and riveting. The story is heartbreaking and very empathetic as the story takes a refreshingly nuanced take, where neither the humans nor the apes are evil. Both sides are just trying to survive and have trouble getting along and communicating when a select few take advantage for power and vengeance.”
It tells a story that’s as old as time—man vs animal—and it does so in a refreshing and unique way, not sacrificing narrative for flashiness, or substance for style. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is one of those movies, and sequels, that truly does stand the test of time, as good today as it was eleven years ago when it debuted in theaters.
Will you be checking out Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes on HBO Max? Let us know what you think of the movie in the comments below. And then head over to the ComicBook forum to see what other movie fans are saying!
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