Intro Analysis - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the sequel to the 2011 movie 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' and follows the tribe of genetically modified apes 20 years after the simian flu spreads across the globe.

The film begins with a close-up shot of Caeser the leader of the apes, the type of shot chosen establishes him as one of the main characters and shows the look of anger on his face to show how he has changed since the first movie.

A low shot looking up at the apes in the canopies of the forest shows that they hold power and places the audience in a position below the ape species, signifying their rapid evolution over the past 20 years.

Digetic sounds such as the ape's roar resonating throughout the forest portrays the apes as fearsome hunters.

The camera then pans into a position in the herd of deer and follows them through their panicked flee, once again placing the audience or the human species as a whole below the apes in status.

Depth of field is used when the camera is looking at Caeser's son so that you can't see the bear before it strikes, this is used for dramatic effect and helps to give the audience the same reaction that Caeser's son would have had.

Caeser's son's body language towards his father establishes the conflicted relationship they have, it is important to use medium shots for this encounter so that their hands can be seen and emotions can be read. Their faces are shown in separate shots which symbolises their conflicted relationship because they are never seen in the same frame.

A long shot is used to fully capture the tribe of apes travelling back to the base, some are riding on horseback and some on foot, this tells us there is a hierarchy system in the tribe and highlights how evolved they have become.

An abandoned and mossy petrol station is seen as they are travelling which introduces the post-apocalyptic setting.

A long shot pan shows a birds eye view of the base with the apes visible below giving a sense of scale to the structure.

Overall I think the opening does an excellent job of presenting the world that is left and establishes some important relationships and characters whilst also showing us the lifestyle the apes have adapted to.