When I heard about this project just over a year ago, I must confess--I didn't harbor much excitement for it. Then footage started trickling out online and it became clear that there was a strong chance that Rise of the Planet of the Apes would emerge as one of the big surprises of a rather lackluster summer movie season. In this rebirth, audiences will be treated to the "why" and "how" that leads to the original 1968 film we all know and love. Yes, this is an origin story but even though we know where things will end up, I was quite surprised by how this movie gets there. At the heart of the film is Caesar--an intellectually advanced ape who begins to question the treatment of his kind. There are humans in the background including James Franco's do-gooder scientist and a wonderful John Lithgow who breaks the heart as Franco's Alzheimer's inflicted father, but the focal point is Caesar. The majority of the film is from his point of view and that's what makes Rise of the Planet of the Apes the most challenging Hollywood spectacle of the summer. The apes that populate this picture are not real primates nor are they men running around in suits. Director c and the master technicians at Weta have opted for the motion capture route and the end result is movie magic. Sure, you'll be able to tell that these aren't real apes, but it hardly matters and that's because the real special effect here is actor Andy Serkis. He brings Caesar to full blown life in a way that...well...lets just say that Mr. Serkis deserves any accolades that come his way. He not only nails the physical mannerisms but he brings real drama to the proceedings. While we're on the topic of drama, Wyatt deserves big time props for his ability to mount big time action sequences (the Golden Gate Bridge set piece that takes up the final act of the picture is positively breathtaking) and mesh them with smaller, more intimate moments (watch as Caesar comes to Lithgow's aid at the breakfast table). Furthermore, Wyatt really takes his time getting to the inevitable uprising. Rise of the Planet of the Apes offers up a few human characters who are a bit overly mean and the film isn't without its cheesy moments. It should also be noted that the movie can't resist making a few jokey references to past installments of the franchise, but the truth is, for each moment that doesn't work (and there are very few) there are about twenty moments that do. This is the strongest reboot since Star Trek and its a far more effective take on Apes than Tim Burton's re-invention nearly ten years ago. In fact, I enjoyed this picture so much, I'm ready to visit this universe again.

Grade: B+