Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Surprise. This series has evolved.

In this second chapter of this series, a team of humans set to the jungle and find themselves in a hairy situation when they run into a pack of apes.

But James Franco is not with them. His character in Rise of The Planet of the Apes was not one of the survivors of a virus that wiped out most of the humans. So you’d think this superstar-less sequel would be a cheaper film, right?

Unlike many sequels, the studio invested more money into this film than its predessesor. I suspect that the number crunchers realized they had everything: a though-provoking story that contained action and potential for a long-term franchise.

Simply put: This is the series’ Terminator 2, not Matrix 2.

Award potential: Noms for Best Effects, Makeup, Sound and Sound Mixing seem very likely at this point in the year. Expect conversation, but not nominations, around Original Screenplay and Supporting Actor Andy Serkis (Gollum in Lord of the Rings), who does the motion-capture prometheus ape.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.