Dawn of the Planet of the Apes2014

Considering that I wasn't all that into the first planet of the Apes movie, I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did, but surprisingly I thought this movie was very well done. First off the special effects are remarkable. I can't believe how real these apes look, they look realistic while still not going too overboard where it becomes freaky. The direction and cinematography are also majorly improved from the first. The movie is crafted in a way that makes the stakes feel higher. The director switched from the first to the second movie, and you can see how much more excitement and flair is put into this movie than the first. The cinematography is very well done, I love the look of the lush forest contrasted with the blazing firey city. Ceaser also proves to be much more interesting than in the first. It's shocking how believable this literal ape seems, and even more, so that he has an interesting motivation and character. The main thing I liked was that this movie subverted cliches and actually provided original ideas. the message of this movie isn't Humans<Apes or vice versa. It shows that there is good on both sides and bad on both sides. I like how the main family is genuinely good people, and I like how it shows corrupt and ruthless apes. It makes it a lot less black and white and a lot more interesting. There are some problems I have with the film, mainly the fact that Ceaser survived because it makes zero sense that he could have survived from both the bullet and the fall, especially when Ash dies from a much smaller height. But overall I enjoyed it and am intersted to see where it goes next.