HBO Max Adds Must-Watch Sci-Fi Sequel With 91% Rotten Tomatoes Rating

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Tomorrow, HBO Max will start streaming Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, letting fans enjoy one of the most popular sci-fi sequels from recent years.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, released in 2014, is the second film in the rebooted Planet of the Apes series. Directed by Matt Reeves and written by Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver, it features Andy Serkis as Caesar, alongside Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Ten years after the events of the first film, in the year 2026, the story focuses on the fight for survival of both humans and apes. Caesar leads his expanding ape community, but tensions with the remaining humans are rising and threaten to erupt into a major war.

A follow-up to the original was announced in 2011. Although Rupert Wyatt was originally set to direct, he left the project in 2012 and was replaced by Reeves. The movie was filmed between April and July 2013, with locations including Campbell River and Vancouver Island in Canada, and New Orleans. Weta Digital was responsible for the motion capture and visual effects, making the apes and other animals look incredibly realistic, particularly during the action scenes.

Critics loved Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 91% approval rating based on 316 reviews, praising the film for its smart story, emotional depth, and impressive special effects, calling it an exciting and ambitious science fiction film that builds on the previous installment.

The movie received mostly positive reviews, earning a Metacritic score of 79/100 and an A- grade from audiences according to CinemaScore.

Reviewers loved the film, highlighting its suspenseful atmosphere, compelling story, and stunning visuals. Guy Lodge from Variety described it as “a truly excellent sequel… better than the original in almost every way, both technically and creatively.”

Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter praised Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, calling it a significant improvement over Rise of the Planet of the Apes, comparing it to the leap in quality from Star Wars to The Empire Strikes Back. Drew McWeeny of HitFix went even further, declaring Dawn not just a strong genre film or summer blockbuster, but one of the best science fiction movies of the year.

Andy Serkis’ portrayal of Caesar was widely praised for its emotional depth and complexity. Ty Burr of The Boston Globe compared his performance to Shakespearean kings, noting Caesar’s powerful presence, speech, and expressions of inner turmoil. A.O. Scott of The New York Times also commended the film as a whole, praising its blend of action, visual effects, and compelling story, and stating that it’s a film that makes you think and feel.

Most reviews were positive, but some critics didn’t enjoy the film as much. For example, Andrew O’Hehir from Salon.com disliked the opening sequence, describing it as a cliché and saying it felt weak from the very beginning.

Overall, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is still a fantastic sequel, combining exciting action, stunning visuals, and a moving story. Now available on HBO Max, both fans and new viewers can enjoy this epic battle between humans and apes from home.

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2025-11-02 14:44