Nobody held out much hope for Rise of the Planet of the Apes back in 2011, with most people initially writing it off as a cynical attempt to start a new franchise from well-worn material. So imagine the shockwaves that reverberated through theatres when people sat down to this sort-of prequel and saw that it was good. But when a follow-up movie was announced, fans braced themselves for the worst: was a sequel necessary? They needn't have worried: against the odds (and Hollywood tradition), Dawn of the Planet of Apes somehow manages to be a superior movie to that of the fist, combining brilliant action, deft characterisation, themes of family, race and entitlement - not to mention some of the most impressive CG renderings ever put to film - to produce a tense, exciting and thought-provoking sci-fi blockbuster. Now, where's the third film?
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
