If anything, marvel at the xylophone in the score.

Because Dawn of the Planet of the Apes delivers something that’s merely great enough.

This movie caters to fans of the first. Newcomers might find enjoyment here, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

The film opens with credits that mirror Edge of Tomorrow—a barrage of newscasters and politicians detailing the virus’s spread.

Images stamp themselves onto a global map, charting infection like a web. Red lines streak from dot to dot, like the mice in The Rescuers hitching a ride on a seagull from New York to New Orleans. Fittingly, Dawn was shot in that very Louisiana city.

And in case you haven’t heard—they’re letting broads write screenplays now. This marks the second film I’ve seen recently with a female screenwriter (Amanda Silver). The other? Jane Goldman, who helped pen Days of Future Past.

Look fellas, if we don’t act fast, they’ll paint the Hollywood sign pink!

Anyway. The challenge of science fiction lies in its demand for viewer buy-in. No matter how wild the world, it has to move with the rhythms of reality.

If genetically evolved apes break free from society, the resulting war won’t look like this. It’ll be a hell of a lot more brutal than what we saw in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

I don’t ask for dismembered limbs, but the absence of real carnage keeps the illusion from landing. It’s impossible not to notice how gently the humans float through danger, like the stakes don’t really hurt.

I liked the first movie, but I never loved it like some did. The rating is the biggest issue. PG-13 films usually aim for all four quadrants—men, women, young, old. That’s how you maximize profit.

So even though Dawn improves on Rise, I’m not exactly hyped for a full-blown Planet of the Apes saga.

The film works because it’s well-made. The camerawork impresses. One long take—shot atop a tank—spins the lens in two full circles for a sweeping double-pan across a set teeming with apes.

I can’t tell whether they’re extras or just damn good CGI. Ironically, the only time the illusion slips is when an ape carries a human, and those flailing legs scream animation.

Still, the writing holds up—for a PG-13. The apes-versus-humans parallels feel sharp. Each character, whether simian or human, stands on their own—memorable, distinct, and convincingly motivated.

The stakes stay high. The set pieces feel immersive. And the right themes rise to the surface.

The climax hints that we haven’t seen the last of these apes. Maybe they’re planning a quadrilogy.

But will we still care by the time they get to number three?

Either way, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is great. That’s all.

Catch it in theaters if you’re curious. You’ll enjoy it.

Just don’t wait for a post-credits stinger. Besides a vague job-creation blurb and a few leftover ape screeches, there’s nothing there.

And trust me—you’ll hear plenty of screeching before that.

★★★★ ★★★★

Briefer takes at IMDb & Letterboxd.