Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Name: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller
Released: July 11, 2014
Duration: 130 min
Rating: 79
Cast: Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Judy Greer, Keri Russell

2014

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 1335 Ratings

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 1335 Ratings

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Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

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Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: July 11, 2014 | PG-13

Starring: Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Judy Greer, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Summary: A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.

Director: Matt Reeves

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 130 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Joe Morgenstern

Jul 10, 2014

The film forges ahead, in vivid 3-D, with such energy, expertise and thunderous conviction that you readily accept its basic premise — the pell-mell emergence of great intelligence, plus moral awareness, in primitive bodies — and find yourself exactly where the filmmakers want you to be, swinging giddily between sympathy for the apes and the humans in what threatens to become all-out war. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Jul 10, 2014

Director Matt Reeves, working from a script by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver and Mark Bomback, elevates the apes to primary importance in this intelligent thriller. Read full review

Dave McGinn

Jul 10, 2014

Good news – it’s incredible. It sets the standard for blockbuster action movies, and manages to be even better than its predecessor. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Jul 9, 2014

Eschewing a tidy wrap-up, Reeves doesn't leave us feeling manipulated, as so often happens in films like this. Instead, we want to know where the story goes from here, and that's no small accomplishment. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Jul 9, 2014

The narrative and its attendant lessons about how one rotten ape and/or human can spoil the bunch are engaging, although I found myself drifting during the battle sequences. Read full review

Peter Travers

Jul 9, 2014

Dawn is dynamite entertainment, especially in the rousing first hour. Read full review

Andrew O'Hehir

Jul 10, 2014

Any film that begins with one of those fake-news montages, where snippets of genuine CNN footage are stitched together to concoct a feeling of semi-urgency around its hackneyed apocalypse, already sucks even before it gets started. Read full review

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User Reviews

nahtan1244

Mar 22, 2016

An absolutely mesmerizing film. Very disappointed this was way overlooked at the Oscars. This movie is a statement of how you make a great movie. No overblown explosions with minimal character development transformers. This is a fantastic scifi movie with amazing performances by the humanAn absolutely mesmerizing film. Very disappointed this was way overlooked at the Oscars. This movie is a statement of how you make a great movie. No overblown explosions with minimal character development transformers. This is a fantastic scifi movie with amazing performances by the human cast and INCREDIBLE performances by it's ape counter part. This movie is not for those who loves a spoon fed action spectacle like transformers or movies with action character development then more action. what this does is slowly builds to a heart wrenching climax while still managing to deliver some of the most beautiful artistic action sequences i have ever seen In this movie we get delivered to some performances by andy serkis who improves upon his last in rise of the planet of the apes. This movies also executes a twist i din't see coming and makes me hate the movies antagonist even more. So if your tired of mind numbing action movies and silly summer spectacles go see this movie you won't be sorry you did… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SirKirbyThe4th

May 5, 2015

Such an amazing movie! If you can make monkeys on horses, guns blazing NOT funny, then you've done something right. It takes place during human extinction, wile apes & human live separately, & apes hate humans for what they've done to them. Its also one of the few times the sequel is betterSuch an amazing movie! If you can make monkeys on horses, guns blazing NOT funny, then you've done something right. It takes place during human extinction, wile apes & human live separately, & apes hate humans for what they've done to them. Its also one of the few times the sequel is better than the first, which is Rise of the...… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

RazorEye

Jul 11, 2014

Nothing, absolutely nothing, in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes falls short of being amazing. An emotionally heavy and truly moving film, Dawn is an absolute marvel of modern science fiction, building upon the strong and unmovable foundations Rise of the Planet of the Apes had left earlier.Nothing, absolutely nothing, in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes falls short of being amazing. An emotionally heavy and truly moving film, Dawn is an absolute marvel of modern science fiction, building upon the strong and unmovable foundations Rise of the Planet of the Apes had left earlier. With a plethora of solid characters from both ends of the tale, an explosive sequence of events and a rather poetic script, Dawn raises the bar for the Planet of the Apes franchise and other big-budget philosophical productions of it's caliber. Dawn really is something that deserves appreciation; few films in our day can only dream of achieving what Dawn has. A film that truly touches it's audience with heartfelt passion and remorse for humanity, Dawn is the kind of film that films as an art form and the film industry needs in general.

Both Rise and Dawn are thought provoking; films that challenge our perception of our very own species through another. However, Dawn triumphs more spectacularly in a way few films before it had done so; through unsolicited and unforced emotion and depth that makes Dawn a true modern science fiction classic, something that the original creators of Planet of the Apes would be very proud of.… Expand

41 of 58 users found this helpful4117

baldwincollins

Feb 10, 2015

I was very disappointed in this movie, reason's being the producer's jump start this second installment
story away from 'rise of the planet of the apes' which starred james franco.
this film see's caeser played by andy sekis, is forced to defend his family and fellow apes. which seem'sI was very disappointed in this movie, reason's being the producer's jump start this second installment
story away from 'rise of the planet of the apes' which starred james franco.
this film see's caeser played by andy sekis, is forced to defend his family and fellow apes.
which seem's to me could of been a screen-play for the third installment film. however don't get me
wrong it still turned out to be a great summer film. great performance by veteran star gary oldman… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Compi24

Jul 13, 2014

Magnificent effects and pathos highlight Matt Reeves newest addition to one of the most effective reboot franchises to date. "Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes" is a masterful work on both a substantive and technical front.

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

Fluid_Dynamics

Jul 12, 2014

You'll be thinking the entire movie that some of the characters should be saying:

"Damn! I'm soo thirsty!! Especially since, not one of us have had any food or water for an entire week, and a few of us have lost a lot of blood. Am I right? You're thirsty too right?" Very enjoyableYou'll be thinking the entire movie that some of the characters should be saying:

"Damn! I'm soo thirsty!!
Especially since, not one of us have had any food or water for an entire week, and a few of us have lost a lot of blood. Am I right? You're thirsty too right?"

Very enjoyable movie, although we thought Edge of Tomorrow was surprisingly even better. That movie will have a long tail.… Expand

5 of 11 users found this helpful56

Synycom

May 19, 2015

Clearly the apes have won and are marking up this movie. An epically bad script and plot. Next we'll be making the daleks touchy feely with smiley faces full of trite human emotions. The monkeys on PG tips were far more entertaining. Avoid.

2 of 19 users found this helpful217

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68	#68 Best Movie of 2014
12	#12 Most Discussed Movie of 2014
17	#17 Most Shared Movie of 2014