FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS -- CONTENT REVIEW: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

"RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES"
(2011) (James Franco, Andy Serkis) (PG-13)

QUICK TAKE:: Action/Drama: A genetic researcher and other humans must contend with his experimental serum accidentally increasing intelligence in test chimpanzees to the point that the apes plot revenge against their captors.

PLOT:

Will Rodman (JAMES FRANCO) is a genetic researcher at Gen-Sys and is working on a gene therapy serum he believes might cure Alzheimer's, a disease dear to his heart since his father, Charles (JOHN LITHGOW), suffers from that. Under the watchful and profit-driven eye of their boss, Steven Jacobs (DAVID OYELOWO), Will and coworker Robert Franklin (TYLER LABINE) have been testing the serum on a chimpanzee which has shown remarkable increases in intelligence. But when that apes goes berserk and must be shot dead, all hope of the drug moving forward seems lost.

But Will then discovers that the rampaging chimp had just given birth and he secretly takes home its infant to prevent the young chimp from being euthanized. Named Caesar (motion capture performance by ANDY SERKIS), the chimp grows up there and shows that he inherited his mother's modified genes and intelligence, with an unexpected outdoor excursion resulting in the need to pay a visit to local veterinarian Caroline Aranha (FREIDA PINTO).

She and Will become an item, he discovers that his serum has seemingly cured his father, and all seems well. That is, until Charles' disease returns and Caesar ends up saving the older man from an irate neighbor. That results in a court order of Caesar being sent off to an ape sanctuary run by John Landon (BRIAN COX). But it proves to be anything but ideal, thanks to John's sadistic young adult son, Dodge Landon (TOM FELTON) being mean to Caesar and the other apes, all while his coworker, Rodney (JAMIE HARRIS), is afraid to speak up.

His days and those of his fellow humans, however, soon seem numbered as Caesar's intelligence continues to increase to the point that he begins to organize his fellow apes and plot a rebellion. From that point on, Will and Caroline try to stop Caesar before things get too far out of hand.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: The action-packed commercials might prove enticing for those drawn to such material, while fans of any of the past "Planet of the Apes" films might be interested, as might fans of anyone in the cast.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For intense and frightening sequences of action and violence.

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