Where to start? First off, I appreciated that the apes still spoke mainly using sign language. Although they have the ability to speak, it's something that the first generation of apes had to learn to do, which means it would not come as naturally to them as it would to future generations. Plus, it made a distinct difference between the humans and the apes. But enough about genetics. The apes in the first movie were amazing to watch. They were so lifelike and realistic, and they continue to be that way in Dawn. I think Andy Serkis is a brilliant actor and it never ceases to amaze me what emotions he can convey and how much he puts into his performance without physically being on screen as himself. Also: horses; the apes were finally riding horses and for some reason I really love that.
On the human side of things, I continue to love Jason Clark. If you haven't seen Lawless, find a copy and watch it. It's a great movie and part of the reason I like Jason Clark. I thought his performance as Malcolm was really good. He had to deal with this crazy new world he found himself in, while also taking care of his teenage son and worrying about his future. His remark that no kid should have to see what his son had seen was sad, because his son would have been 6 or 7 when everything happened and his mother died. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Keri Russell, who played Malcolm's second wife, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, Malcolm's son. Having a new stepmother is awkward enough without the extra stress of the end of the world and super smart apes. I thought Smit-McPhee was adorable in his awkwardness and I liked the quiet and calming personality of Russell.
As for the relationship between the humans and the apes, I find it interesting and a little sad. Malcolm and Caesar try so hard to keep the peace but other humans and apes ruin it. Gary Oldman's character was all about power; in this case, literal power to bring back the electricity. The humans needed a source of power, and the search for that inadvertently lead them to the apes. It also lead the apes back to the city and the humans' home. The search for power ended up being the downfall of the humans and what sets off a war between apes and humans. However, there is another component in the creation of the war. And that is what I find so fascinating about this movie.
The concept of betrayal and having your own agenda, which you'll follow without caring who may die along the way, is something that is very human. For centuries humans have been stabbing each other in the back, turning on one another, and pretending to be something we're not to convince others to trust us. The apes in Dawn believe that all humans are bad and all apes are good. They cannot even fathom the idea that there may be good humans and bad apes. Which makes the betrayal of Koba all the more poignant. Caesar says that Koba learned only hate from humans, after his time spent as a lab rat, or chimp. But Koba also learned about betrayal. Yes, Caesar is foolish to continue trusting Koba when he is clearly losing his mind a little. But that doesn't mean that Koba had to act in the manner he did. He abused Caesar's trust, manipulated Caesar's son, attempted to kill Caesar and blame it on the humans, and then took over as the leader of the apes and started a war. That is such a human thing to do. And I think it was a brilliant touch.
I found Dawn to be as good as Rise in every aspect. The music was amazing, the apes were incredible, and the story was brilliant. It was one of the best sequels I've seen in a long time; Winter Soldier is the only other recent sequel that I thought was as good as its predecessor. I can't wait to see how they're going to wrap up the series, although we all know how the story ultimately ends. And while I would like to see the same humans in the next movie, I kind of liked having a new set of humans who had to interact with the apes and learn to understand them. And if the majority of critics can find almost nothing wrong with the movie and think it was amazing as well, then you know it's a good movie.
