Rise of the Planet of the Apes

PG-13

Released Aug 5, 2011

1h 45m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

List

82%

Tomatometer

274 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

Buy 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

Roger Moore

Tribune News Service

Audacious, violent and disquieting, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is a summer sequel that's better than it has any right to be.

Jan 14, 2013

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

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

Dani G

A very different approach from the previous iterations of this franchise. This modern version takes it all from the beginning, givin' us an explanation and a reason; also with the apes being apes, not humans with ape face

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/07/24

Full Review

Faiz D

'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' is good sci-fi film. James Franco was fantastic as always.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/29/24

Full Review

Adam S

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an impressive start to an iconic franchise, featuring brilliant special effects, great pacing, emotionally impacting moments and an interesting story. Rating: 80%

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/24/24

Full Review

Audience Member

While it may just be a movie about humans experimenting on apes and making them really smart, the way in which is done is really unique and they do an excellent job forging a special connection with the main characters, especially Caesar

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/23/24

Full Review

Taylor H

"It was perfect, perfect down to the last minute detail". But you might find that it gets a little boring at the end but it's pretty perfect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/21/24

Full Review

Indigo O

Love this movie! The CGI is great and still holds up today. The story is fascinating and believable, and the character of Caesar is already a classic! I think some parts of the movie can be a bit slow but overall, it's one of my favourites!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/16/24

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

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Oblivion

54%

61%

Oblivion

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

91%

88%

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

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

TRAILER

for War for the Planet of the Apes

Total Recall

31%

47%

Total Recall

Ender's Game

63%

65%

Ender's Game

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