Rise of the Planet of the Apes

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes

PG-13

Released Aug 5, 2011

1h 45m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

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Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

270 Reviews

77%

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250,000+ Ratings

Will Rodman (James Franco), a scientist in San Francisco, is experimenting with a drug that he hopes will cure his father's (John Lithgow) Alzheimer's disease. After his work is deemed a failure, Will becomes the guardian of Caesar, an infant chimp who was exposed in-utero to Will's drug. Caesar displays unusual intelligence, and Will decides to continue his experiments secretly. But as Caesar's intellect and abilities grow, he comes to represent a threat to man's dominion over Earth.

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Critics Consensus

Led by Rupert Wyatt's stylish direction, some impressive special effects, and a mesmerizing performance by Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes breathes unlikely new life into a long-running franchise.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

It's a surprisingly provocative film that really stretches the definition of summer blockbuster.

Rated: B+

Sep 8, 2017

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David Thomson

The New Republic

Caesar [the main ape] is the reason to see this daft, breathless picture.

Jun 24, 2013

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Somewhat shockingly, the modern interpretation of mankind's downfall is actually pretty darn good.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 27, 2012

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Casey Chong

Casey's Movie Mania

Rise of the Planet of the Apes has everything a modern summer-movie blockbuster should be, blending smarts with spectacles.

Rated: 4/5

May 10, 2024

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Germain Lussier

io9.com

One of the many reasons this film is so incredible is how much it packs into its modest 105-minute run time.

Apr 27, 2024

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... a terrific character piece, a gripping prison break thriller with a wicked high-concept twist and the smartest action movie of 2011.

Oct 27, 2023

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Brayden G

Better than the 2001 plant of the apes movie

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/17/25

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Madam D

Not my favorite of the franchise, but works well within the story line.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

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Daniel H

The weakest in the franchise Not a great film, but a necessary movie in order to set up the next two

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/12/25

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Daniel N

Loved the originals and really like this new adaptation or remake of the series. The writers have done a great job explaining the humans demise and how the apes became intelligent and the story is filled with a nice mix of drama and action. Very well done and very highly rated.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/30/25

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Tony T

an absolute classic must watch piece of cinema

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/08/25

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Jimmy T

This is a great, solid beginning for the new Planet of the Apes saga, and Andy Serkis' performance as Caesar is so heartfelt and emotional, you really feel as though Caesar is real. Again an absolute great and solid movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

Full Review

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Rupert Wyatt

Director

James Franco

Will Rodman

Freida Pinto

Caroline Aranha

John Lithgow

Charles Rodman

Brian Cox

John Landon

Tom Felton

Dodge Landon

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53%

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Synopsis

Will Rodman (James Franco), a scientist in San Francisco, is experimenting with a drug that he hopes will cure his father's (John Lithgow) Alzheimer's disease. After his work is deemed a failure, Will becomes the guardian of Caesar, an infant chimp who was exposed in-utero to Will's drug. Caesar displays unusual intelligence, and Will decides to continue his experiments secretly. But as Caesar's intellect and abilities grow, he comes to represent a threat to man's dominion over Earth.

Director: Rupert Wyatt
Producer: Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Screenwriter: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Chernin Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Violence|Intense/Frightening Sequences)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 5, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 10, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $176.7M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby, DTS

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