Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Filmmaker Matt Reeves's sequel to 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes finds genetically-enhanced Caesar (Andy Serkis) living in the dense woods of Marin County in a thatched village with his mate (Judy Greer)—who has just given birth—and his older son (Nick Thurston). Statesmanlike Caesar has established a primitive ape society, governed by strict rules, including “Ape not kill ape.” Meanwhile, in nearby San Francisco, a few hundred humans are struggling to survive under the leadership of Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) following a global flu pandemic. When a group that includes engineer Malcolm (Jason Clarke), his nurse wife (Keri Russell), and their teenage son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) try to reach an old dam in order to tap into its desperately-needed hydro-electric power, they unwittingly venture into Caesar's home territory. While Malcolm tries diplomatically to establish peaceful contact, one of his cohorts is trigger-happy, which infuriates Koba (Toby Kebbell), a chimp who still carries the physical and emotional scars of laboratory cruelty. Before long, full-scale war seems inevitable in this mythic morality tale that tackles themes of loyalty, trust, and co-existence. A tension-filled, visually dazzling follow-up, this is highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the character segment “Andy Serkis: Rediscovering Caesar” (9 min.), a photo gallery (7 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are an audio commentary by director Matt Reeves, the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Weta and Dawn” (21 min.), “Humans and Apes: The Cast” (18 min.), “Move Like an Ape: An Artist's Medium” (16 min.), “The Fight for a New Dawn” (16 min.), “The World of Dawn” (15 min.), “The Ape Community” (11 min.), and “Journey to Dawn” (9 min.), deleted scenes (5 min.), and bonus digital and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for an excellent sequel.] (S. Granger)