Peter Travers has been burned by previous Planet of the Apes sequels and remakes, so he was surprised to discover that Rise of the Planet Apes isn't half bad. It isn't half good, either, with stiff performances by James Franco and Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto, but it's worth seeing if just for Andy Serkis' Oscar-worthy performance as Caesar, the lead ape. Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies, brings an astounding soulfulness to his digitally-animated character.
This Week's Reviews:
• Rise of Planet of the Apes
• The Change-Up
• Bellflower
• The Whistleblower
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