Brawn and brains collide head-on between two species in this spectacular sequel.
Having made the part of Gollum his own in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, the incomparable undercover British actor Andy Serkis makes another unforgettable return as Caesar, the chimpanzee with a rare desire to think things through.
A decade has passed since simian flu ravaged mankind.
The genetically-evolving apes are celebrating the arrival of a new baby – and wonder if humans have been wiped out.
But then a group of explorers led by family man Malcolm (Jason Clarke) arrive searching for hydro-electric power.
If the humans can restart the nearby dam, you know it really will be a case of "lights back on, camera and... action!"
The script is insightful and thoughtful and with so many intractable crises brewing in the Middle East, its theme of trust resonates with contemporary relevance.
Anyone with an ape-tite for destruction will know that a deadly battle with the humans is inevitable.
But the “one chance for peace” script is an admirably-delicate balancing act on both sides.
Whose sense of trust will crack first – ape or human? Whatever you’re thinking, the answer will surprise you.
One of the few disappointments is that as per RoboCop (Dr Norton), the Harry Potter and Dark Night star Gary Oldman simply has another cameo as power-hungry Dreyfus.
Unlike his family, he survived the ALZ-113 virus and is holed up in the impressively ravaged, overgrown San Francisco.
The cinematography by veteran New Zealander Michael Seresis (Midnight Express) is stunning, especially when we are following the apes swinging through the trees and across girders. Forget motion-capture, this is motion-rapture.
Meanwhile, Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up) finds some extraordinary piano notes to emphasise contemplative silence as much as imminent threat.
Burning torches, flaming silhouettes and horse-riding primates echo Frankenstein (1931) meeting a new kind of movie: Apemen of the Apocalypse. Wow!
Having succeeded Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ British director Rupert Wyatt, Matt Reeves (Let Me In) is already planning a second sequel. I’ve got gr-ape expectations.
