When A Chimp Says "No!"

Spoiler Alert:  The following comments are related to the film, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" which I saw yesterday.....plot lines are revealed!

One of my favorite films as I was growing up was "Planet of the Apes."  The sequels were not as good, but the original captured my imagination, especially with the famous and dramatic final scene (Statue of Liberty sticking out of the mud....a scene written by Rod Sterling of Twilight Zone fame).  So it was with great anticipation that I went yesterday to a local theater to view the recently released prequel.  With my free small popcorn (no, I don't want an upgrade to a medium for a dollar...it's "free"! and no, I don't want a 5.00 bottle of water!) and my 24 year old son by my side, I was ready to enjoy a couple of hours of diversionary entertainment.  I was not disappointed!

The climax of the film is when the genetically altered chimp Caesar rises up in rebellion against those who have captured and taunted him.  He utters in a loud, snarly, growl, "NO!"  He then leads other chimps in activities which give the movie its title.  So now we know why Charlton Heston and his fellow astronauts found the earth so oddly different around 3000AD!  Somehow this film managed to get me to sympathize with the chimp, identify with his struggle, and root for him to break free of his human oppressers.  When he said, "NO" I wanted to stand up and clap!

Why?  Because he was expressing an emotion we can all relate to....the desire to define oneself, to be free of the manipulative control of other people's demands and expectations, to hear one's own voice and declare it to the world.

And you thought it was just a movie about monkeys?!!

Post your thoughts!