Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver mapped out the story for all three Apes films. This is why the side effects that end Rise transition smoothly into the pandemic that opens Dawn. I don’t know the timeline of when the duo went off to work on the Avatar sequels, but this film shares writing credit with Mark Bomback and War is written by Bomback and director Matt Reeves. Bomback’s writing credits are not good, and Reeves is a better director than a writer. A shame this project was passed onto less talented hands before it was finished, because Dawn takes the story to an epic level, displaying incredible confidence in the effects and an audience’s willingness to watch a film that stars motion capture monkeys.
The film looks like no expense was spared, nor was money lavishly wasted like a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel. (Perhaps a stronger human cast than Jason Clarke, Keri Russell and Kodi Smit-McPhee would be an improvement.) Aside from the effects, the Production Design, Cinematography and Sound are at proper blockbuster levels. Too often, spending a ton of budget means you have to keep the story simple. This goes against that trend, having it be not just the battle between Apes and Man but a division within each group. Both sides have those who seek peaceful mutual benefit and those who believe you have to conquer, no matter the casualties.
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