Now that they've finally decided on a title, 20th Century Fox has kicked the marketing machine for Rise of the Planet of the Apes into high gear, first with a whopping four-second look at the apes, then with a more in-depth look at the special effects entailed in bringing a bunch of rampaging monkeys to life. Now, here's the full trailer, which has a surprisingly tense and low-key feel to it... well, until that ape attacks the helicopter.
I've been mostly ignoring this movie up until now because I could never figure out why it existed. But this trailer is pretty slick! Sure, it's a well-worn setup in the vein of Island of Doctor Moreau, but with all the meandering pirate and robot plot lines we're going to deal with this summer, a tight, cautionary disaster narrative about the limits of scientific experimentation sounds kind of refreshing. And those apes look fantastic! If the one standing over the bed watching a family sleep doesn't give you a chill, just wait for the close up at the end of the trailer. It's much creepier in context.
James Franco doesn't seem to do much besides keep a straight face while playing an obsessed scientist, but when a movie has apes attacking helicopters, that's probably sufficient.
Verdict: Sold.
If the embed gets pulled, head over to Apple.