CoGro wrote:
- Andy Serkis should be nominated for an award - be it Best Supporting Actor or whatever (even though Caesar is the main protagonist, not James Franco) - he's that good. I'm putting my foot down: it's the best performance from a digital character out there.
Totally agree there. I loved this film. It's the best "Apes" movie in 40 years. I loved that they took their time setting everything up, and didn't just cut to the chase, as in for example the Jurassic Park sequels. Everything seemed to move along very smoothly and logically. I don't quite get what "plot holes" some critics have been quick to point out. All of the "human" performances were fine for what was needed in this story. My only criticism is James Franco. He's ok really, but he could use a little facial motion-capture enhancement himself.
A few of the homages to the earlier films that I noticed right away -
-Malfoy Boy has at least 2 lines of dialogue that mirror Heston - "Get your stinkin' paws off me..." and "IT'S A MADHOUSE!!"
-The other guy who works in the Ape Sanctuary is watching a Heston film on TV (possibly his performance as John the Baptist in "The Greatest Story Ever Told?")
-The big Orangutan is named Maurice. Maurice Evens played Dr.Zaius in the original.
-There is an ape named "Cornelia." "Cornelius" was Roddy McDowell's character in the originals.
-Caesar's mom is called "Bright Eyes," which is what Zira calls Taylor when she first sees him.
-Caesar is playing with a model of the Statue of Liberty at one point.
-Although I have always hated "Escape," "Conquest" and "Battle," I did like the fact that something Zira talks about in "Escape" is that according to Ape History, the great Caesar said "No" to his "master," which is depicted in this story.
Other references -
-The ending airport scene during the closing credits reminded me of "12 Monkeys."
-A couple of the apes start to fight over the watering hole in the Ape Sanctuary. There's a brief shot that is almost identical to one of the Dawn of Man scenes in "2001 - A Space Odyssey."
I can't wait to see what they do with the next Apes movie!
