10 Best Motion Capture Performances

Andy "Give him his Oscar already!!" Serkis' Caesar is arguably the most realized motion-capture performance in film history. Caesar had the benefit of cutting edge VFX to create a palpable and weighty character with considerable screen presence. That said, another reason behind the success is due to Andy Serkis' excellent performance and Matt Reeves and Ruper Wyatt's capable direction.

We are first introduced to Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes and we see his growth from a precocious gene-enhanced infant who sees firsthand how cruel (and caring) humans can be and this informs his decision to become an ape resistance leader who leads his species to dominance in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

However, he is given a series of layers and complexity that enables him to understand the fight for dominance is a complicated struggle that has heroes and villains on both sides. He ultimately becomes a martyr and inspiration for a new generation of apes that may be free of the conflict that took so much away from them. Serkis really gives it his all in a performance that transcends its (perceived) digital limitations and gives Caesar a spot in the annals of great film protagonists.