If you, like millions of others, plan on heading into Dawn of the Planet of the Apes this weekend ready to gobble up yet another action-heavy summer mega movie, expect to get way more than you bargained for: Dawn is a sophisticated, emotional picture that explores complex themes with nuance and precision. The film asks that you keep your moral compass handy at all times, as quandaries of  trust and loyalty are constantly in play. But don’t let the heavy stuff scare you away; there are enough apes riding horses, talking apes, apes swigging bottles of hard liquor, and apes driving army tanks to satiate even the hungriest Hollywood action junkies.

The Planet of the Apes series is no stranger to social commentary, with previous installments tackling difficult topics like racism and, in Dawn‘s excellent predecessor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, animal cruelty and genetic experimentation. Here, director Matt Reeves examines the nature of war, (Let Me In) plotting out intimately the inception of a bloody conflict between man and ape.

In an opening sequence that resembles a very expensive version of the popular mobile “outbreak” game Plague Inc., we learn that, ten years after the events of Rise, the human race is dangerously close to eradication due to the spread of “Simian Flu”. In San Francisco lies a small pocket of humanity fighting for survival in a post-plague world where foliage-covered city streets and concrete buildings are being reclaimed by nature. They’re led by Dreyfus (Gary Oldman), a man devoted to human preservation, and the noble, intrepid Malcolm (Jason Clarke). On the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge (which served as a key human/ape battleground in Rise) is Caesar (played again by Andy Serkis via motion capture), who since the last movie has built a thriving community of fellow apes and led them to a harmonious existence, tucked away in the towering redwoods of Marin County. Back from the first film are Maurice, the affable voice of wisdom, and Koba, Caesar’s vengeful, human-hating second-in-command.

Caesar’s fallen in love, had a son, and developed the ability to speak English quite well. His verbal skills are put to good use when a small group of humans, led by Malcolm, accidentally wander into ape territory seeking a dam that could restore power to their struggling community. Separated from the group, a trigger-happy asshole (Kirk Acevedo) shoots a young ape named Ash, and the humans are quickly surrounded by the furious ape clan. Instead of ordering his followers to rip Malcolm and his party to shreds, Caesar instead shows mercy, and in a gravelly roar orders the trespassers to “GO!!!”

In a series of exquisitely plotted events, we see Malcolm and Caesar attempt to cooperate and quell the rising tensions between their respective parties. Fueled by fear, jealousy, paranoia, and obsession, the barrier of peace breaks down, and violence erupts. In hindsight, the chess moves and character trajectories are all crystal clear, but in the moment, nothing is obvious or distractingly predictable. That’s because the film is too smart for that. The decision by Reeves and his writers to put good and bad people on both sides of the conflict is thoughtful and gives the film real emotional richness. In the end, Dawn is about the virtue of empathy, and only by giving both the humans and apes a fair shake does the message pervade.

The Transformers films would be leagues better if only Optimus and the Autobots were the main protagonists instead of the human characters. In this respect, Dawn is a treasure, as Caesar (a CGI creation, mind you) and the apes are given center stage. The beauty of the special effects that bring Caesar to life is that they disappear almost immediately. Once we’re convinced that what we see on screen is a living, breathing, talking ape, Serkis is free to do his real work. His performance is stunning and astonishingly intimate: while the Transformers are all about spectacle and fireworks, the apes are all about mannerisms, emotion, and communication. In a late scene between Caesar and his son, whose ideals clash throughout the film, the two share a poignant, tearful reconciliation, shot in close-up by Reeves. Not for a second are the visual effects unconvincing, nor the scene not entirely gripping.

Both Clarke and Oldman are on-the-money, and Keri Russell is likable as Malcolm’s wife, though unfortunately her role is so thinly drawn and disposable it escapes the mind quickly after leaving the theater. The tidal wave of action in the film’s final act is rightly ridiculous at times (is anything more ridiculous than an ape riding a horse, brandishing machine guns in both hands?) and totally thrilling. (The rest of the film ratchets the stakes up so sky high that it had to be so.) A more lurid depiction of war would have benefited the film greatly (most kills are either off-screen or obscured by distance), but the grand set pieces are far from disappointing.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is better than its predecessor, and that’s saying a lot. Though it juggles multiple characters struggling with inner conflicts inside of a larger external conflict, the film never feels unstable, confusing, or lopsided. It’s a surprisingly depressing movie, especially for a summer blockbuster, as it reveals the ugliest facets of human nature and the dire consequences they bear. However, the film feels alive, with moments of exhilaration, levity, and surprise that offset the dark, heady themes and lead it to a tonal sweet-spot that few big-budget films have the consideration to aspire to. Hail Caesar!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes trailer

We may seem like reclusive budget-shirking obscure film enthusiasts over here at Way Too Indie, and well, some of us are, but we’re not living in any dark holes and far be it from of us to say that a film that had a little money behind it isn’t worth our notice. So here we are, covering our bases. In The Mainstream we’ll look at what’s doing well at the box-office (and secretly hoping it’s an indie darling) and all those major releases that demand our attention in the name of pop culture.

With its unfortunate calendaring (yeah, we’re missing last year’s 4-day weekend too), this year’s 4th of July weekend  has been pretty lackluster for our friends at the studios and brought in the lowest box-office numbers in a decade. (We have a feeling they’ll end up on their feet.)

June Recap

June was filled with lots of fun in the not-so-lazy river of the mainstream. Franchises continue their summer dominance. Obviously there was that one film, about robot cars from space, um, or something like that. There was 22 Jump Street where our undercover cops graduated to college and took home the box-office for the month so clearly it’s got enough laughs to draw the crowds. We get further instruction on flying monsters with How to Train Your Dragon 2, a definite example of sequels done right. Also, a cowboy made a musical, but it wasn’t great. Personally, we thought the shmoopy YA movie The Fault in Our Stars with its clever dialogue and straightforward romance was better than all that CG fare. But if you are going to CG it up (and haven’t yet indulged) we can’t push Snowpiercer on you enough. It’s the June release most worth rooting for — both CJ and Ananda loved it.

Snowpiercer

July Preview

Now we’re in the thick of it and the previously released studio behemoths will battle it out for the rest of the summer to see who can suck in the most cash. June cash cows will likely continue to dominate, but July has a few mainstream films that look enticing including Dawn of the Planet of the Apes which may take the rebooted series to new levels, or just creep us out with heavily animated gorillas trying to get us to care. Otherwise,  we already love her as Black Widow so we know Scarlett Johansson can kick ass, and after mesmerizing us in Under the Skin we are excited to see her be a high functioning super-human in Lucy. Below is the release schedule for July, including limited releases, so don’t forget to mix in a few indies with your blockbusters for a well-rounded summer movie diet.

The Week of July 4

Life Itself, Earth To Echo, My America, Tammy, Behaving Badly, Beyond The Edge, A Brony Tale, Deliver Us From Evil, Gabrielle, Me And You, Nothing Bad Can Happen, Premature, School Dance

The Week of July 11

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, Affluenza, Boyhood, Land Ho!, Rage, And So It Goes, Closed Curtain, A Long Way Down, Made In America

The Week of July 18

Sex Tape, I Origins, Mood Indigo, Planes: Fire & Rescue, The Purge: Anarchy, Video Games: The Movie, Wish I Was Here, Aftermath, Among Ravens

The Week of July 25

Magic In The Moonlight, The Congress, Happy Christmas, Hercules, The Kill Team, Lucy, A Master Builder, A Most Wanted Man, Very Good Girls, Beneath, The Fluffy Movie, Ironclad: Battle For Blood, My Man Is A Loser, Step Up: All In

June Box Office Domestic Grosses

1. 22 Jump Street (Sony) — $146,974,343
2. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Fox) — $128,810,252
3. Transformers: Age of Extinction (Paramount) — $128,685,351
4. The Fault in our Stars (Fox) — $112,635,75
5. Edge of Tomorrow (WB) — $86,414,785

2014 Year-To-Date Box Office Domestic Grosses

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (BV) — $257,225,897
2. The LEGO Movie (WB) — $257,092,045
3. X-Men: Days of Future Past (Fox) — $224,809,730
4. Maleficent (BV) — $206,231,009
5. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Sony) — $200,376,363