Hugo Review

Christmas 2011

Genre: Family Fantasy/Adventure.

Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace-Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron-Cohen, Jude Law, Emily Mortimer, Helen McCrory, Ray Winstone, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour and Christopher Lee.

Running Time: 126 mins. Approx.

Certificate: U (Contains mild peril).

Seen At: Apollo Cinemas, Altrincham.

On: Sunday, 4^th December, 2011.

Martin Scorsese is one of our very greatest filmmakers, providing audiences with movies whose titles alone conjure up iconic images, and have become enduring classics. One could call him a true ‘cinemagician’ a reference which is accentuated upon in his latest feature, based on the novel: The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick (whose Grandfather was the first cousin of well-known Hollywood producer David O. Selznick – fitting given the film’s subject matter in the second half).

  It tells the story of Hugo, a young orphaned boy whose only home is a busy Parisian train station. His daily job is negotiating the perilous inter-workings of the station’s giant clocks, and his only means of survival resort to him stealing loaves of bread from the bustling markets.

  He lives in fear of the sinister station master, until he meets an adventurous young girl Isabelle and her initially austere, disdainful and cantankerous grandfather Papa Georges, who runs a toy booth.

  Before Hugo’s father (Jude Law – appearing only in flashback) died in ambiguous circumstances, he and his son began restoring a mysterious robotic figure known only as an Automaton, whose heart-shaped keyhole is wound-up by the key that belongs to Isabelle. Is it just coincidence that she should have the key Hugo’s been desperately searching for? Whatever the outcome, it’s up to the two children to literally ‘unlock’ the mystery of the deceptively innocuous Automaton. Rest assured, that once they get it working, it reveals an astonishing, magical secret that will change everyone’s life forever…

  The premise may sound unusual, and that’s predominantly due to the fact that it is so refreshingly different and original. This film is an absolute joy to watch. Visually sumptuous, the wonderfully warm, cinematographically glossy tones are superbly enhanced by such subtle utilization of 3D, which serves its function of fully immersing its audience completely within the magic.

The opening shot on its own is a tour-de-force in stunning optical scale. A high-angle view of a slightly fantastical, glowing, snow-covered cityscape of Paris, tracks directly into the hustle-and-bustle of numerous shoppers, before stopping short of the gigantic clock-face inhabiting our protagonist.

   The film is a real departure for Scorsese, known famously of course for often graphic, adult, pictures usually centred around gangsters. This is his first venture into family-friendly material – the festive glow and hopeful optimism that envelopes throughout is about as far removed from the gritty, crime-ridden streets of Taxi Driver, the sheer brutality of Raging Bull’s boxing ring or the pulpy, violent camaraderie of Goodfellas as you’re ever likely to go.

  Yet never is it over-sentimentalised in a way that’s syrupy, sugary or patronising. Indeed, there are definite elements that dictate a darker undercurrent tonally, including the scenes where Hugo has a nightmare that he himself has turned into the Automaton, as well as a terrifically memorable sequence where a train goes off the tracks – again, made all the richer through the tool of 3D – thanks to Scorsese’s love for the new aspect of the medium.

  As original as it is in its content, it’s also happily reminiscent of a particular quartet of films – capturing the adventure of Lemony Snicket, as well as the magical qualities of The Polar Express, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Harry Potter owing to the fact that they all share the scenario of a wondrous new world being seen through the wide-eyed perspective of children.

  It turns out, that Isabelle’s stern grandfather is in fact the great auteur and pioneer of silent filmmaking Georges Melies, famous for the art of illusion, most notably in the short entitled A Trip To The Moon, (this is first shown in a revelatory way). As such, the second half of the film is a joyous celebration of the magic of cinema, delivered by Scorsese, one of the forms contemporary masters, that’s fascinating for lovers of cinema. As Melies reflects back on the pain of remembering the fate of his once glorious past, it becomes obvious that the earlier scene in which Melies instructs Hugo to fix a clockwork toy mouse, acts as an allegory, a touching metaphor of reversal  for Hugo to fix Melies.

  A recurring motif of clocks is definitely present (the fixing of the clockwork mouse, the clockwork, wind-up figure of the Automaton, the scene which sees Hugo balancing upon the giant hands of the clock-face in which he spends most of his life).

  This is cleverly mirrored by the highly precise, almost clock-work nature of Scorsese’s method of filmmaking. Proceedings literally ‘run like clock-work’, with the running-time of just over two hours flying by, with the delicate intricacies of several different strands of narrative storytelling being tied up by an expert effortlessly.

  The vast majority of performances are brilliant. Asa Butterfield is already one of our best young actors, and is effectively understated and emotive – really shining as Hugo. Sir Ben Kingsley is fantastic as Melies, particularly when his visage of contempt softens to reveal a kind, loving and empathetic genius.

  The best performance comes from Helen McCrory as his wife Mama Jeanne, exceptional in her portrayal of an aging former silent-movie actress – the star of Georges’s films and the love of his life.

The film isn’t entirely flawless – Sacha Baron Cohen’s channelling of ‘Allo Allo’s Arthur Bostrom as the station master doesn’t work well at all. Nor really do the rather clichéd characters played by Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour as an older lady and gentlemen who keep running into each other at the station, smitten, but can never admit their true feelings.

   But these small shortcomings do nothing to detract from what really is a magical, memorable and deeply moving cinematic experience. It deserves every success at the fast-approaching trio of Golden Globe, Bafta and Oscar award ceremonies.  Its huge appeal is absolutely universal – it should be seen by everyone.

   The most wonderful film – one of the year’s very best – I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Rating: * * * * *

The Rum Diary Review

Autumn 2011

Genre: Biopic/Semi-autobiographical Comedy-Drama.

Starring: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Michael Rispoli, Richard Jenkins, Aaron Eckhart and Giovanni Ribisi.

Running Time: 120 mins. Approx.

Certificate: 15.

Seen At: Didsbury.

On: Saturday, 12^th November, 2011.

From the weird and wonderful mind of Hunter S. Thomson, after at least four long years in development, and under the directorial eye of Bruce Robinson (of Withnail & I fame, making his first film in fifteen years), comes The Rum Diary.

  Based on the 1998 novel – formally a manuscript found by Johnny Depp in Thomson’s basement - it tells the story of Paul Kemp – a boozy journalist sent to nineteen-fifties Puerto Rico to write for a failing newspaper The San Juan Star – the only problem is, he soon falls for one of the local’s girlfriends, and gets lost in a debauched, drug-riddled journey of self discovery.

Obviously Kemp is firmly based on Thomson himself – this particular incarnation marks his pre-gonzo period of journalism, the fully-fledged version of which is shown through yet another of his alter-egos – Raoul Duke, in Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

  The very first shots of this film are of a bleary-eyed, bloodshot, and severely hung-over Depp as he recovers from drinking a hundred and sixty one miniatures. ‘Are they not complimentary?’ he later whimsies teasingly. Such is the tone for the rest of the film, razor-sharply written, beautifully shot and quietly - extremely funny.

  It’s a world away from Depp’s glossy, gothic, family-friendly collaborations with Tim Burton. He’s exchanged fairytale landscapes and magical chocolatiers for grimy, rum-soaked typewriters, sunshine and (in some cases quite literally) ‘acid’-tongued humour.

  Depp himself has never looked more comfortable in a role - tanned, relaxed and – incredibly youthfully preserved for a forty-eight year old who’s supposed to be playing a character in his twenties. Surely an Oscar must be far too long overdue.

  Many of the supporting roles are also finely acted – but none quite so good as Giovanni Ribisi’s permanently inebriated Moberg – again, a likely awards contender.

 Unfortunately Amber Heard’s Chennault, the bewitching love interest so lovingly described in the book, translates into a rather hollow, somewhat flimsy caricature on screen, and isn’t really given that much to do, except act like the stereotypical ‘blonde bombshell’.

  Tonally, the novel is far darker and more serious than the film – a subplot involving domestic abuse is explored – but is thankfully spared here.

  Much of the surprising humour is visual, including drinking the water from a fishbowl. Two standout scenes both involve cars – one without a front seat and one that is continually revved, pelting along a deserted road. Another hilarious moment sees Kemp and his photographer associate in court, after inventing a flame-thrower via alcohol consumption, where a poor, unsuspecting and anciently-elderly local proceeds to vomit over the dock in all the excitement.

   The entire screenplay only ever utilizes two lines of dialogue from the whole novel  – a choice informed by Robinson’s apparent admission that he just was unable to write in Thomson’s very distinctive and particular vernacular. This, again, is cleverly mirrored on-screen as Kemp muses: ‘I don’t know how to write like me’.    Despite only making references to the source material very gingerly, Robinson succeeds in capturing the spirit of the novel perfectly – seemingly idyllic, with occasional, sudden undercurrents of alcohol-fuelled bursts of violence. Listen carefully, and a pounding political backdrop is also ever-present, jammed full of attacks on almost every social comment indicative of the time; from the criticism of Nixon’s Presidential technique, to the full realization of the gradual collapse of ‘The American Dream’.

  Only at the very end is the savage subtext fully explored, with even the very final line of dialogue retaining all of Thomson’s inimitable trademark quirk.

  It probably won’t get the awards recognition it so richly deserves, but this is nevertheless a superior take on a true modern classic, a real gem, in which Depp solidifies his status as the actor who really can play anyone. This is the role he was born to play.

Rating: * * * * *

Johnny English 2 Review

Autumn 2011

Genre: Spy Action-Adventure Spoof/Sequel

Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Rosamund Pike, Gillian Anderson, Dominic West, Stephen Campbell-Moore and Tim McInnerny.

Running Time: 98 mins approx.

Certificate: PG.

Seen At: Didsbury.

On:  Wednesday, 19^th October, 2011.

The spy genre is certainly a varied one. From Bond, to BBC One’s Spooks to Robert Rodriguez’s Spy Kids to the outstanding Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – a box-office smash earlier this year.

  At the other end of the spectrum is of course good old spoofery, in the shape of Rowan Atkinson’s inept, bumbling spy – MI7’s Johnny English.

  A full eight years after his first adventure, this time he’s in locations as diverse as London, Switzerland and Hong Kong.

  This film, whilst silly, infantile, wildly over-the-top and just not as hilarious as it could and should have been (considering it’s directed by Oliver Parker), is at least marginally funnier than the original, thanks to its more streamlined, linear structure, as opposed to the former’s rather episodic pratfalls.

   The caliber of the supporting cast this time around is also a vast improvement. Refreshingly, all playing it absolutely straight are the likes of Dominic West, Gillian Anderson and, an actual former Bond-girl from Die Another Day, Rosamund Pike – as English’s beautiful love interest. It’s also great to see a classically-trained actor like the brilliant Dominic West have some fun as Ambrose, the dastardly double-agent.

  The gags this time are, as you might expect predominantly visual, with all manner of jokes involving cats flying out of windows, helicopters cruising along motorways, wrongful application of lipstick, painful training devices and Chinese killer-cleaners.

  It does have a very funny sequence involving a super-speed wheelchair, but otherwise, distinctly average.

Rating: * * *

The Three Musketeers Review

Autumn 2011

Genre: Mythical Fantasy Action-Adventure

Starring: Logan Lerman, Matthew Macfadyen, Luke Evans, Ray Stevenson, Milla Jovovich, Mads Mikkelsen, Christoph Waltz, Gabriella Wilde, Juno Temple and Orlando Bloom as The Duke Of Buckingham.

Running Time: 110 mins. approx.

Certificate: 12A

Seen At: Didsbury

On: Saturday, 15^th October, 2011.

After numerous adaptations, with stars including Richard Chamberlin, Oliver Reed and Christopher Lee each seen portraying one of the infamous Musketeers, audiences finally have the first cinematic version of the tale that ventures into the revolutionary third dimension.

   This is a huge-scale, effects-laden, blockbusting take on the classic, and while it may not always be entirely historically accurate (customized airships with built-in flamethrowers), it is brilliant fun from start to finish. Every artistic element is inventive, from the toy-town-inspired opening credits sweeping through a gigantic map, to its utterly unique use of the much-maligned 3D.

  Many films either completely over-use the tool, with the result often a blurry mixture of indistinction constantly being flung at the audience, or fail to include it nearly enough, not realizing it’s full potential.

  Here however, the perfect balance is struck between allowing just enough surprising moments for it to flourish (whether it be for showing the intricate motion of a booby-trap, a slow-motion close-up on an approaching cannonball, or the staggering sight of guards on mass), but always allowing it breathing space.

  It’s enhanced further by an extremely effective technique known as: ‘speed-ramping’ – which means to either frantically speed-up or suddenly slow down the action, simultaneously (this works particularly well during the many great sword-fighting sequences).

   The basic narrative structure remains about the only aspect that hasn’t changed. The once-heroic Athos (a straight-laced Matthew Macfadyen) Porthos (a brawny Ray Stevenson) and Aramis (a cool Luke Evans) are brought to the fore once again, with young protégé D’Artagnan (Logan Lerman) to defeat a quartet of dastardly villains – three of which are the Cardinal (Christoph Waltz), a conniving, beautiful and deadly seductress (Milla Jovovich) and the mysterious, eye-patched Rochefort (Mads Mikkelsen).   

   The predominant villain is the Duke of Buckingham. The role makes for a triumphant return to the big screen for Orlando Bloom (this is his first mainstream blockbuster in four years, since finishing on the colossally successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise in 2007). It’s well-worth the wait however, as he completely steals the show – relishing being so evil for once, in his fluorescently green, blue, and puce pantaloons. He twirls his mustache with glee in one of the truly great, Oscar-worthy performances of the year. It so easily could have descended into pantomime, but he skillfully plays it the absolute fun side of menacing, with some great one-lines: ‘Look at what the cat dragged in!’. Make sure you wait until the very final shot to discover his, and another character’s fate, with a conclusion that so clearly sets it up for a sequel and hopefully even a franchise. Amusing, exhilarating, gloriously colourful, of epic proportions and with its tongue firmly lodged in its cheek, this is one of the most surprising and very best films of the year!

Rating: * * * * *

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Review

Autumn 2011

Genre: Spy Drama/Conspiracy Thriller.

Cast: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Hardy, David Dencik, Amanda Fairbank-Hynes, John Hurt and Kathy Burke.

Running Time/Duration: 127 mins. Approx.

Certificate/Classification: 15

Seen At: Parrs Wood Cinemas, Didsbury.

On: Saturday, 17^th September, 2011.

Over thirty years since the much-loved 1979 TV series was originally transmitted, the highly-anticipated film version now arrives in cinemas. Based on John le Carre’s extraordinarily labyrinthine novel of rouge espionage, it centres around the morally ambiguous George Smiley, first immortalised by Sir Alec Guinness.

   The year is 1973, and Smiley is brought out of retirement, to help root out a mole, who’s infiltrated their way into the ‘circus’: the then-codename for the Headquarters of the MI6 British Secret Service. It’s up to Smiley to deduce who the culprit of this betrayal is, before their web of deceit closes in...

   The novel, whilst entertaining, I found as heavy as lead, convoluting between the present and flashbacks.

    Thankfully however, this adaptation is, quite simply, stunning from beginning to end. It’s challenging certainly, but never in a frustrating or confusing way, but rather utilising the far cleverer, more perplexing method of luring its audience in slowly, and gradually unfolding. It is, in its own slow-burning way absolutely gripping.

   Each of the characters, whether they be the potential suspects or not, are wonderfully well-drawn and distinctive. Mark Strong’s tragic Jim Prideaux, David Dencik as the conflicted, supposed loyalist Toby Esterhase, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Guillam, the squeaky-clean pretty-boy, who, like all of the characters on display, may just be hiding a deep dark secret…

   The head of the circus, known elusively only as Control, seeks Smiley’s aid in uncovering the identity of MI6’s: ‘rotten apple’ – it is one of five men, each appointed with a respective single-word codename, to which the film’s title refers...

     The choice of director here is unusual. Tomas Alfredson burst onto the scene a couple of years ago with the foreign-language vampire-romance shocker Let The Right One In. This, his debut into not only mainstream but also English-speaking filmmaking, makes for a radical change of pace.

    Artistically, the film is a triumph. The attention to period detail is extraordinary, whether it be from the click of a typewriter, or the whirl of smoke from one of the tireless worker’s cigarettes. The overall aesthetic, this edgy, drab, downtrodden look that envelopes almost every shot, is one that ingeniously evokes a crumbling, rain-lashed, almost post-Dickensian vision of early nineteen-seventies London, only serving to  further authenticate the reality of the spy profession for the actors.

   A searing shot of colour is injected in the absolutely electrifying scenes which see each of the agency’s men seated in a boardroom lit by a fluorescent gold egg-box-esque wall. You can almost hear the inner-working of each of the suspect’s ‘little grey cells’ working overtime, as they are interrogated by John Hurt’s prickly Control. The atmosphere emitted from this film throughout,  is tantalisingly intense and palpable with tension.

   The cherry on this crème-da-la-crème cake of British acting talent, is most certainly Gary Oldman’s meteoric landmark performance as Smiley. Menacing, cold, and quietly terrifying, he is a monstrous, striking presence on screen. If Alec Guinness’s interpretation of the character was of a man you’d instantly forget, then Oldman’s is of a shady, antiheroic manipulator you wouldn’t trust an inch. Yet, he’s always understated, portrayed by Oldman as an observing, insular figure. The key is locked in Oldman’s great capacity for subtle nuances – his posture in a chair, or the fractional readjustment of his glasses. It is his best ever performance – surely an Oscar-nomination for Oldman – the ultimate character-actor, often known for taking on even dangerous roles, is long overdue.    

  The other two standout supporting roles come from Colin Firth as Bill Haydon, and fantastic rising star Tom Hardy, terrific as the rough and ready defector Ricki Tarr - the scenes in which he travels to Istanbul only to uncover the torturous treatment of his girlfriend are hugely powerful. The film’s occasional spurts of bloody violence, sparse as they are, are made all the more shocking by the fact that they are so brief. This doesn’t embody the blockbusting, action-packed, special effects laden qualities of a fantastical Bond film – it’s a complex, intellectual and supremely crafted adult thriller.

  My only observation more than a criticism, is that there are only ever two women in the entire film. However, one of them is brilliant - it’s wonderful to see Kathy Burke acting again, looking so different than in her usual comedic roles, as Connie Sachs, the shunted former employee with a weakness for a small tot of sherry and a filthy vernacular, with one particularly rude line of dialogue especially amusing.

   In the film’s tone, as dark, murky and serious as it is, the screenplay hasn’t left out the important element of humour, in either the Christmas party scenes, (which feature a cameo from le Carre himself), or during an insight into the audit interpreter’s choice of relaxing listening – in this case being a George Formby rendition of Mr. Woo).

The musical score – almost hypnotic in its ability to draw you in immediately, also features two great songs – Sammy Davis Jr.’s Second Best Secret Agent (played, again in the Christmas party scene, and Julio Iglesias’s La Mer, at the very end of an emotional dénouement, once the mole has been identified.

    This really should do brilliantly in next year’s awards season, with Alfredson, Oldman, Firth, Hurt, Hardy and Burke all fully deserving of recognition.

   Not only is this the film event of the year, it’s also the undisputed best film of the year. I hope it receives all the golden masks, globes and statuettes it deserves.

     A classy, near-faultless adaptation of a classic, has now become an instant classic all of its own. A twisty, classy whodunit, almost red-hot to the touch with suspense, that’ll keep you guessing who the perpetrator is until the final moment.

    Utterly absorbing and truly outstanding.

Rating: *****

Fright Night Review

Autumn 2011

Genre: Comedy/Horror.

Cast: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Imogen Poots, David Tennant, Toni Collette and Dave Franco.

Running Time: 106 mins. Approx

Certificate: 15

Seen at: The Trafford Centre’s Odeon Cinemas.

On: Tuesday 6^th September, 2011.

As those chilly autumnal nights start to draw in, and with Halloween just around the corner, how fitting then that DreamWorks Pictures have cleverly chosen to release a film which encapsulates so many of the more classic elements of cinematic horror.

   A remake of the 1985 original starring Roddy McDowell of Cleopatra fame, this suburban shocker is jammed full of the more traditional, old-fashioned conventions: – doors creaking ajar, shadows creeping up on walls and house-phones ringing endlessly.  These only count in its favour, solidifying it as a simple, straightforward, yet always highly effective example of the much-used genre.

  What modernizes it, making it suit predominantly the teenage or early twenties audiences of today, is its 3D element. Whilst some critics have been quick to give the rise of 3D a decidedly cold reception, it only ever adds to the experience, tenfold in fact, in my opinion. Many movies either overuse this revolutionary tool, thus erasing its impact, or don’t use it nearly enough, not utilizing it to its full fruition.

   Here however, whether it’s the pierce of a crossbow’s arrow, the punch of a stake, or a splatter of fresh-fanged blood, there’s just the right amount of three-dimensional flourish present to compliment and enhance, giving proceedings a bold added flair.

    For all its jumpy scares, tonally it manages to also equal the balance between being just as funny as it is (not all that, thankfully), frightening.

  Its protagonist is young Charley Brewster (a relatable and always likeable Anton Yelchin), an average teenager who turns from monster-skeptic to vengeful hunter when he finds out that his brawny neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell, clearly having a lot of fun), is actually a bloodsucking vampire...

  Recently, Colin Farrell has played so many heavily serious roles where his character’s either highly conflicted or guilt-ridden (Crazy Heart, The Way Back, London Boulevard), so it’s refreshing to see him in material that’s much lighter – he revels in being so relentlessly evil. Cinematographically though, the film is somewhat Hitchcockian. As Charley becomes increasingly suspicious over Jerry’s motives and the body count starts to drop, he resorts to spying on ‘the vampire next door’ with referenced binocular scenes reminiscent of the great voyeurism of 1954’s Rear Window and it’s far more recent homage – 2007’s Disturbia.

  A strong sense of eerie atmospherics is helped enormously by a chillingly irreverent musical score. As soon as those opening bars of choral pipes emit their foreboding sense of doom in the main theme – the tone is set for the rest of the film – fun, fast and never taking itself too seriously.

  The leads are given hilarious support from David Tennant in the flamboyant role of a television vampire slayer who’s all high theatrics and heavy eye shadow – his character makes swearing into an art form.

 The screenplay is peppered with plenty of witty one liners, and when Jerry is in his fully-fledged vampire mode – some suitably impressive CGI is truly allowed to let rip.

  In terms of popular movie genres, a horror comedy is difficult, as it’s important to have both in just the right quantities – horror for the dedicated fans, and plenty of comedy so that the laughs are just as frequent as the occasional scream. Luckily, as was also the case with Scream 4 before it – this has both, in spades.

 Overall – tongue-in-cheek, frenetic and full of energy, this is a worthy addition to the comedy horror cannon – with plenty of…bite! 

Rating: * * * *

Planet of the Apes Review

Summer 2011

Genre: Fantasy Action-Adventure

Starring: James Franco, Frieda Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo and Andy Serkis.

Running Time: 105 mins. approx.

Certificate: 12A.

Seen At: Parrs Wood Cinemas, Didsbury.

On: Friday, 19^th August, 2011.

In a summer that has seen the return of pirates, mutants, masked serial killers and a certain boy-wizard; we then turn to the slightly unusual choice of rebooting a very different movie franchise. This is actually the seventh movie incarnation of The Planet of the Apes and its counterparts – including of course the 1968 original with Charlton Heston, and the 2001 Tim Burton version, universally panned by the critics.

   This latest however, is meant to be looked upon as a prequel to all that has gone before it.

   James Franco plays Will, a young, ambitious scientist working at a facility that houses chimps to test on, whose somewhat experimental methodology leads him into developing a new gene strand which he believes, can be used as the cure to Alzheimer’s disease.

  Will’s own father, played by John Lithgow is gradually suffering from the condition himself – however of course, it must first be tested on the chimps - with revolutionary repercussions…

   After a baby chimp’s mother is fatally shot at the beginning of the film, he is adopted, reared and taught by Will. Naturally, he’s giving a sample of the strand, and the results prove astonishing.

   Named Ceaser, his cognitive skills are astonishing, but of course, it isn’t long before he grows too much into his adulthood to be kept at home, so he’s admitted into a harsh, prison-like institution with the rest of his kind. Don’t despair though, as the affects of the drug are far from wearing off, as he leads his own species on an ulrelenting uprising to fight back, and reclaim rightful domination...

   This film is simply a joy to watch on every level. The screenplay, which could so easily have become bogged down with technicality, is structurally simple and easy to follow, and it’s paced perfectly.

   James Franco is an ideal leading man, injecting Will with all the necessary sensitivity and understanding. My one and only criticism is the need for Freida Pinto, who only serves as being a completely pointless cardboard-cutout girlfriend figure for Will, and is given nothing else to do.

   Where the film really excels is in its combination of two elements: its sheer scale and both the level and indeed standard of its visual effects.

   Andy Serkis, now having become synonymous with his work with motion-capture performance with Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and another ape in King Kong, is once again utterly spellbinding as Ceaser, with every single nuance, every subtle facial expression, perfectly pitched. 

   In fact, as an audience you completely forget you’re watching incredibly detailed and lifelike computer-generated work, and just emotionally invest totally in Ceaser – he is the full force the film’s whole protagonistic drive. Surely Serkis should be in line for a deserved Oscar nomination.

    There are also a couple of jaw-dropping moments, not only in the huge- scale action sequences which occupy the last forty minutes, but also during smaller, much more intimate moments such as Ceaser’s response to a couple of human commands, as well as how the apes really form a strong bond with each other. 

   The sequences where a multitude of apes unite first on city streets and finally on the Golden Gate Bridge, are utterly breathtaking, taking on everything from entire buildings, to helicopters and ultimately humans.

   The film feels like its on an epically cinematic scale, helped enormously not only by plenty of blistering action set-pieces and some of the finest, most convincing visual-effects in years, but also by Patrick Doyle’s suitably dramatic musical score. 

   The level of the emotional component which accompanies the film is also staggering – by the end, it’s impossible not to feel moved. 
   The best film of the year so far by a mile, and certainly the most impressive and enjoyable blockbuster of the summer. Let’s hope it’s the recipient of the accolades it deserves. Intelligent, emotional, refreshing and truly spectacular.

Rating: * * * * *