Rise of the Planet of the Apes

James Franco plays a San Francisco scientist in this exciting sci-fi adventure and powerful cautionary tale

James Franco plays a San Francisco scientist in this exciting sci-fi adventure and powerful cautionary tale.

The movie explores how apes got their super-intelligence as Franco unwittingly sets events in motion with his gene-therapy research for an Alzheimer's cure.

The experiments lead to the creation of Caesar, a highly intelligent, lab-born chimp. Caesar ends up living with Franco in his home and, with the aid of Freida Pinto's sympathetic vet, they care for him until, eventually, he becomes too big.

He is sent to a primate shelter where Tom Felton enjoys mistreating the apes and Caesar, angered by how his own kind are abandoned and mistreated, puts in motion a plan to release them.

Thanks to motion-capture technology, Andy Serkis brings Caesar to life with awesome skill.

Look out for a series of sly nods to the original films, including a glimpse of a Statue of Liberty toy that recalls the 1968 original movie's iconic ending.

Also showing at 7.00pm on C4 on Saturday 8 July.