Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Play trailer

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

PG-13

Released Aug 5, 2011

1h 45m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

269 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

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

Rated: B+

Sep 8, 2017

Full Review

David Thomson

The New Republic

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

Jun 24, 2013

Full Review

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

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

The story of Caesar is what draws you in to this prequel and it's Serkis that sells it entirely and masterfully.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 28, 2025

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

There’s a lot more to this film than can be described in a single paragraph, which is one of the reasons the film works so well.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 6, 2025

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

Flynn S

Great story and a fun beginning of the franchise.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/04/25

Full Review

Omid S.

These are all absolutely amazing. Life-changing must watch with the family. I would watch every single one.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/15/25

Full Review

Derek B.

Underrated masterpiece!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/12/25

Full Review

tommy J

Dangot this movie is so good! I've watched it so many times, I love it. I like this movie better than the classic planet of thr apes movies. The sequels thay follow are also awesome but this is definitely my favorite of them all.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/09/25

Full Review

Juan D

Great first movie, Cesar was a great main character

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Success in 1.75 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Violence, and Intense/Frightening Sequences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $176,700,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Rupert Wyatt

Director

James Franco

Will Rodman

Freida Pinto

Caroline Aranha

John Lithgow

Charles Rodman

Brian Cox

John Landon

Tom Felton

Dodge Landon

Oblivion

53%

61%

Oblivion

Watchlist

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

91%

88%

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

War for the Planet of the Apes

94%

84%

War for the Planet of the Apes

Watchlist

TRAILER

for War for the Planet of the Apes

Total Recall

30%

47%

Total Recall

Watchlist

Ender's Game

63%

65%

Ender's Game

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The 12 Best Action Movie Franchises, Ever!

‘Tis the Season for 10 Film- and TV-Tied Video Games

James Franco’s 10 Best Movies

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now