2018 Oscars Challenge: [4] “War For The Planet Of The Apes” – Best Visual Effects

“WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES”
Joe Letteri, Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon and Joel Whist

Director: Matt Reeves
Producers: Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa, & Amanda Silver
Cinematography: Michael Seresin
Editors: William Hoy & Stan Salfas
Composer: Michael Giacchino
Distributors: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: July 14, 2017
Run-time: 140 minutes

FILM SYNOPSIS: The fragile truce between humans and apes is broken by a rogue faction of militant humans led by the bloodthirsty Colonel. Following a battle that exacts a tremendous personal cost, Caesar, the apes’ leader, goes on a quest for vengeance that forces him to question his commitment to his values and purpose.

The third film of a trilogy is rarely this good. “War for the Planet of the Apes,” however, takes things to the next level. The visual effects have come a long way since “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was nominated for the same Academy Award back in 2011. It should be noted, the sequel, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” was also nominated for Best Visual Effects in 2014. So this is the third year the franchise has been nominated and a big portion of that has to go to work of WETA Digital and the motion capture team, which takes Andy Serkis’ and the rest of the human cast, and makes them into believable primates. And “War for the Planet of the Apes” does this more effectively than the other two films simply because Serkis has come so far in this journey and truly makes you care for this inhuman character. For every year that one of the “Apes” films have come out, I’ve rallied for some sort of recognition for Andy Serkis and his amazing work and although I meant an acting nomination, a win in this category would definitely be a tangential win for Serkis and although he would not be bringing home an Academy Award, his capstone film and the crew behind it would.

That being said, “War for the Planet of the Apes” has an uphill battle. Not a very big one, but a battle none-the-less, as “Blade Runner 2049” will definitely give it a run for its money. If there is a one on one showdown in this category, those are the two films facing off. “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2” does not go anywhere that new to justify it winning and “Kong: Skull Island” is probably a step down from “Apes,” as the motion capture of all the apes in it definitely sets it apart. And “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” simply does not go anywhere that “Force Awakens” didn’t go. So that leaves a futuristic thriller versus a dystopian, primate-fueled future. Which ever film receives the award, it will be fine by me, as both films deserve it, and in a year that “Blade Runner 2049” wasn’t nominated, I think “War for the Planet of the Apes” would definitely have it.

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