Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (July 11)
Set 10 years after prequel Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn picks up the story of genetically evolved ape Caesar (mo-capped by Andy Serkis) and his loyal army of followers after the apes have successfully wrest control of society away from humankind. Following a deadly virus that wiped out the majority of the human population, survivors roam a devastated landscape, struggling to avoid marauding bands of apes. However, there is still one threat to Caesar’s reign – a band of humans led by the mysterious Dreyfus (Gary Oldman), who’s bent on wiping apes off the face of the Earth (good luck with that one, buddy).
From what we’ve seen so far, Dawn will offer improved motion capture, thrilling battle sequences and strong acting from its talented cast. In addition to Serkis and Dreyfus, the film stars Jason Clarke, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Keri Russell as members of Dreyfus’s group, and Judy Greer, Terry Notary, Toby Kebbell and Nick Thurston as apes under Caesar’s command. Plus, baby apes!
If your dream blockbuster involves simians with shotguns, morality play, and a sizable helping of Oldman-style gravitas, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has got you covered.
– IF
Jupiter Ascending (July 18)
Nobody can claim that the Wachowskis lack for ambition. The directorial duo behind the influential Matrix series and sprawling epic Cloud Atlas have impressed time and time again with their vision for storytelling on a grand scale – even if they haven’t always nailed the execution (cough cough Speed Racer). There’s reason to believe though that the Wachowskis’ upcoming sci-fi entry, Jupiter Ascending, will be one of their best films yet.
Set in a gleaming future in which gods rule over humans, Jupiter Ascending centers on Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), a human janitor who becomes the focus of an interplanetary manhunt after she’s found to be an exact genetic double of the Queen of the Universe. Though he’s sent by the nefarious King of the Universe (Eddie Redmayne) to kill Jupiter, bounty hunter Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), a wolf-human hybrid, instead abets her escape and helps her plot to end the Queen’s reign.
Take one look at the trailer for Jupiter Ascending (below), and you’ll understand just how massive a canvas the directors are working on with this film. Luckily, Warner Bros. has given them a $150 million paintbrush, and all the signs are pointing to Jupiter Ascending succeeding as a visually stunning, compelling sci-fi epic. The tremendous talent on hand – also including Sean Bean, Douglas Booth, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Doona Bae – just adds to my excitement.
– IF
The Purge: Anarchy (July 18)
Last year’s surprise hit The Purge boasted a promising premise – in the future, a warped version of the U.S. government declares all crime legal for 12 hours a year to reduce overall crime rates – but failed to follow through, turning into a mediocre home invasion thriller by focusing on one unfortunate family. Luckily, returning writer-director James DeMonaco listened to the criticism, and sequel The Purge: Anarchy widens the scope to an exciting degree.
Whereas the first Purge was set in an upper-class neighborhood, Anarchy centers on a group of people struggling to survive the nights on the streets of an impoverished city. Among the characters: a man (Frank Grillo) who sets out to murder the man who killed his son, a young couple (Kiele Sanchez and Zach Gilford) stranded on the streets, and a mother and daughter (Carmen Ejogo and Zoe Borde) abducted from their secure home for unknown purposes.
If the first trailer is any indication, Anarchy will supply all the ultraviolence and thinly veiled social commentary that the first film merely hinted at. It should be a bloody good time at the movies.
– IF
