Warning: A Review of This Week’s Hot Flicks

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Teen sci-fi enthusiasts is going to be absolutely hooked with this smart, if not uplifting prequel of the original “Planet of the Apes” in 1968 and all it’sTV, film and video game offshoots.

A note of caution, though with its use of “motion-capture” engineering that allows the actual gorillas and chimps to look as full-blooded as those of the humans in the film – a product of computer effects overlaid upon a human actor. That’s why the physical violence and disorder in this movie could affect to and make it look very real to the minds of young audience.

James Franco plays the protagonist named Will, an excellent scientist who develops a certain anti-Alzheimer’s medication, albeit with a viral part. It is tested on apes and resulted in the animals to to grow rather violent, paving the way for the project to be scrapped. However, Will still continue to give the particular medication to his father (John Lithgow), who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Will also takes into his care a baby chimp, Caesar, who was exposed to the drug during their experiments.

When Caesar (Andy Serkis) grew up, he showed signs of superintelligence. But after he acted violently towards someone once, Will is obliged to keep him in a “sanctuary” which ends up to be described as a kind of jail delivering apes for research. Caesar, after having a trainer Tom Felton) frequently maltreat him, instigates the primate uprising against the human race.

The apes encounter law enforcement officials, various weapons, planes and others as they proceed to climb the wires of the Golden Gate Bridge and later dangle through the treetops in Redwood Forest. They plan to rule. That is what you get for screwing up with genetics, cautions this science-fiction film.

There are some scenes in this film that depicts violence between animals and humans that are extreme and may seem too upsetting for some kids, pushing the PG-13 rate to the limit. Early on in the movie, such scenes occur in short sequences but towards the end there is already a prevalent chaos. Although the wounds and the fights are not very visual, there’s certainly death and blood with weapons including iron fence spikes, electrical prods, guns, tranquilizer darts and others that will not be suitable for the children viewing.

Cowboys & Aliens

Even pre-teens may find this particular PG-13 sci-fi cum Western-themed movie as violent. That’s due to it’s uncomplicated storytelling, though it is actually inspired by a comic novel.

Right away, you’ll realize something’s unusual, when a sturdy man (Daniel Craig) wakes up in the middle of the desert in 1875 and have no idea who he is. What’s more, he’s got a modern-looking metallic bracelet on his arm that he can’t remove.

Later into the film, he eventually learned of his true name, Jake Lonergan,along with the information that he is wanted for murder and theft. Lonergan walks into town met a drunk young person, Percy (Robert Dano) whom he somehow humiliated. As it turns out, Percy’s father is a cattle tycoon, Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), a rogue and grumpy military man.

Just as everyone prepares for a classic Mexican standoff, in came an alien plane, blowing and yanking away various people on wires. This odd threat obliged Lonergan and Dolarhyde, along with the rest of the townsfolk, Indian warriors, robbery gangs and cowpokes to find a common goal.

The said aliens sport the usual features (massive, slimy, reptilian-like creatures) sufficient to freak out some kids below the age of 12. Craig and Ford made nice, rough heroes amidst a superb cast.



The weapon fights and alien episodes using their weird-looking planes may come off as an extreme violent movie. Humans engage in more than one bloody and disturbing battle. The actual climactic struggle feature firearms, explosives and bows-and-arrows. It even involves gutting out of several humans by the supposed aliens and burning of a dead body. The screenplay even has expletives, anti-Indian slurs and a mention of ‘whores’. As expected from a cowboy movie, there’s a lot of alcohol-drinking involved and an indirect nudity.

» Warning: A Review of This Week’s Hot Flicks