Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

Not to be confused with Planet of the Apes. Rise and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the newer approach to the Planet of the Apes franchise but with deeper meaning and more advanced computer graphic.

To be honest, the 1968 Planet of the Apes was quite awesome regarding the plot and the imaginative creativity. But the Tim Burton’s version was considered a big letdown for what’s already a good plot. When Rise of the planet of the Apes came out, audiences was impressed with the visual and strong message behind it.

In summary:

Following up with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Caesar freed the apes with evolved brains from human captivity and established the Nation of apes in the wood.

The film starts with the prologue about the Simian flu outbreak wiping out most of the human species. For ten years, the Nation of apes has been peaceful without human invasion until a group of human survivors asks to go in and fix the dam in the apes’ area. Caesar who was raised by loving humans gives them a chance to do their human work but initiates  conflicts among the apes instead.

Animal Farm resemblance

The film shows us the development of the Apes’ civilization with law and order similar to how Snowball tries to establish the Seven Commandments of Animalism for the farm. Many of the smart apes try to teach others and the new generation the Sign language and English alphabet. There are also writings on the wall, the most distinct ones say ‘ape not kill ape’ and ‘Apes together strong’.

Although Rise and Dawn are not the political allegories like Animal Farm, there is one common message which is the certainty of ‘conflicts of values’.

In any civilization, whether it is human race, apes or the animals in the farm, when there are conflicts of values, there can be no peace.

Human race is destined to fall.

Rise taught us about the brutal animal abuse and animal rights. It also warned us that Human race might not always be the most advanced and civilized species forever. One day, natural selection may decide that it’s time for an extinction of human race.

Dawn give us the new aspect to it. People in the universe of this film are forced to accept the fact that humans are not all that invincible after all. With the edge of distinction, humans have to ask for apes’ help. In that scenario, the audiences are showed that the kind of humans who are aggressive, stupid and violent can ruin our chance of survival.

We are slap in the face once again with the conversation among the apes regarding human race. After all these years, humans may feel superior, but do other species see us that way? I think not.

“Human destroy each other.”

In the film, the apes talk about humans with pity. It’s like the number one think apes learn from humans is not to kill each other.

And that’s true. In my nineteen years of life, I still don’t understand why we have to hurt and destroy each other. We are given a chance to coexist, but we choose to fight. It makes me think that this selfishness of human will eventually drive an end to the human race.

Difference and Similarity

Let’s look at Dawn in another aspect. If we think of Apes and humans as two separate groups of people in this society, we might understand the hidden meaning of it. Let’s not see apes as animals but as the inferior class or race or group of people who simply wished to fight for their survival.

This group of people, they think that even though they are inferior, they know that at heart they are better than their superiors. They think that if they are freed, they would lead a better society and know how to treat others. But it all turns out that once they receive the power they desire, the fights won’t seem to end.

“I always think ape better than human.
I see now, how much like them we are.”

Greed for power is a dangerous and scary thing. There are many cases around the world where the revolution took place to alleviate or free one group of people but ended up with ongoing conflicts and civil wars.

There are no superior or inferior groups of people. There are no apes and humans. There are just people with power and people without power. Those who have power want to protect it. Those who don’t have it, desire to own it. This is the start of all wars and conflicts.

And if people are just content with what they have, the world would be a lot more peaceful.

Pictures from:

1. https://likemimagazine.com/2014/08/01/apes-revolution-potere-alle-scimmie/
2. https://melrook.wordpress.com/2014/11/29/5-quick-reviews-from-november-catch-up-edition-part-2/
3. http://screenrant.com/dawn-planet-apes-3-sequel-july-2017-release-date/
4. http://imthecautionarywhale.blogspot.com/2015/02/best-visual-effects-spectacle.html
5. http://www.indiewire.com/2014/07/review-dawn-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-is-a-45-minute-film-padded-into-2-plus-hours-159214/
6. https://expresselevatortohell.com/2014/07/18/dawn-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-2014-review/
7. http://pantip.com/topic/32308177
8. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140722071255-13521352-dawn-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-7-leadership-lessons-from-the-movie