Dawn of the Planet of the CROG

I would like to give a special thanks and shout out to "Sir" William Posey, my roommate and awesome friend at Duke Youth Academy. He came up with the word CROG, which is an abbreviation for Coming Reign of God. Thanks so much man. Hope you're doing good. #crog

I recently viewed the film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes which was directed by Matt Reeves, and stars Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, and Jason Clarke. I remember walking into the cineplex thinking that this film would be another sci-fi actioner filled to the brim with CGI, stellar acting, philosophical themes, and loads of ape vs human battles. I speculated that the film might be thought-provoking and have a good moral message (as good as movies go) but would ultimately would fall into generic summer blockbuster territory (I had previously seen Transformers: Age of Extinction and all of the characteristics above applied to THAT film, minus the stellar acting and philosophical themes). But I would soon be proven wrong as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes proved to be more than just a simple cliché message watered down with human drama and wrapped up in PG-13 violence and language. Instead, Dawn proved to be a beautifully crafted and dark tale that drew parallels to problems such as racism (or animalism?), lack of understanding/communication, and ultimately what the consequences of a broken and sinful world looks like if it is without God’s grace and forgiveness. I was a bit disturbed by the intensity and brutality of the film, but I can give praise to the unflinchingly honest look that the director gives to this dystopian and fallen world. 

This post will not be a review of the film, but rather a comparison between the events of the film and the real-life issues that they speak to. As such, for those who are reading this and have not seen the film, I will be venturing into SPOILER territory regarding plot details and the outcome of certain characters. While many films may draw similarities between their fictional world and the current one, what makes Dawn so powerful is the unbiased realism that is shown to all of the film’s characters. The film does not justify for any good character’s questionable actions, nor does it critique the violence of the antagonist, but collectively, the film shows how flawed we are as human beings. I wish the film could have taken one last step and showed how even in our human brokenness and sin, we have a God who is still willing to take us in and help us. Our first step to such a God should be an act of repentance. 

The film takes place in San Francisco, California during the year 2026, but the future is no utopia. Years of war have destroyed the possibilities of running water and working electricity. Everything is in chaos and the unity of mankind has broken. The people live in disarray and fear of the inevitable death that looms over them. Anger and fear are traded in for wisdom and clarity, as rare peaceful moments are shattered by sporadic fits of rage. Seeing a community of people that was once so strong before the Simian flu outbreak is disheartening, and the camera pans to people somberly reflecting on life before the flu. The community in San Fran must number the hundreds if not thousands, but there is no strength in numbers. The people are divided and upset, and it is up to Dreyfus (Gary Oldman’s character) to restore peace. But such a yoke and burden feels heavy upon his aged shoulders and while he initially seeks to find a “peaceful” resolution, like Pontius Pilate, he gives the people what they want and goes to war with the apes, whom most of humanity has blamed for the hellish condition they find themselves in. In contrast, the apes are enjoying a time of great prosperity and countenance. In times of hardship and violence, the ape leader Caesar has been able to build a peaceful society and above all, a family and community of apes who learn to work together. Their unity is a stark contradiction to the disarray of humankind. Caesar’s community shows how even if hardship may burn away at our outside shell, at our core, virtues such as family and love can continue to shine bright. In the same way, if like Job, we find ourselves stripped of everything, we must not curse God but instead cry out to him even more. The metaphorical “flood” or “great calamity” so to speak brings out the worst in human beings. But it should also bring out our best. Even in such hardship, people should be willing to unite despite differences and come before God in full surrendurance.  In a truly touching scene, Dreyfus is shown weeping over a picture of his two sons (both of which had died horribly by the Simian Flu) and for a moment, briefly contemplates the possibility that humans and apes could live together in peaceful coexistence. However, that thought is chucked out the window when he hears an all-too-familiar sound: the battle cry of apes preparing for war against the humans. 

That sound was bellowed by the ape Koba, second in command to Caesar, and one who harbors deep hatred for human beings. He and Caesar act as two sides of the same coin: while ape leader Caesar experienced the joy of being raised by a loving and caring father, the only human interaction Koba ever experienced was when they scientists zapping him with a cattle rod or injecting him with drugs. Koba’s human masters were cruel, sardonic, and macabre which skewered his idea of humanity. He believes that all humans are incessantly prone to evil and sees no goodness in them. He is thirsty for blood and hungry for a chilling and brutal revenge that he can extract. Caesar comes from a much more dignified and privileged position. As a leader, he must understand the privilege that he has and attempt to understand and make peace with those who have sharp differences with his views. In this way, it is important not to stereotype and place labels on anyone. Both Caesar and Koba were blind to each other’s viewpoints and rather than attempting to seek a common ground of understanding, they let the tension between them grow which ultimately escalated into violence and tragedy. Living in America, there is the privilege of diversity but there is also the responsibility of understanding and grace. Rather than writing someone off simply because their views are a certain way, or they are a certain race, it is important to be patient and take the time to listen.

Andy Serkis as Caesar
Image credit: 20th Century Fox

This is further proven when humans nursed Caesar back to health after he was shot by Koba. In that scene, Caesar talks to his son and says “I chose to trust him (Koba) because he is an ape.  I thought ape was better than human. I see how much like we are.” This shows how we must not simply take truths as they are and live complacent lives. We must continually be active, whether that is in ministry or other means.

Toby Kebbell as Koba
Image credit: 20th Century Fox

Furthermore, the scary thing is that Koba genuinely believed he was right in what he was doing. He thought that Caesar was far too soft and caring as a leader, and took it upon himself to kill Caesar and lead the apes to battle with humanity. Koba wished to save the apes while also extracting revenge on the humans. He shrouded the attack on the humans as a righteous act, while his true intentions stemmed from hatred. He claimed that Caesar loved humans much more than his own kin. The ironic thing, is that Koba does not realize that he is transforming into the same human masters he loathed and despised. While he claims love for his brother and sister apes, he is more than willing to sacrifice as many of them as he can in order to make the “evil humans” suffer.In the same way when Malcolm (Jason Clarke) attempts to reason with Dreyfus and tell him to spare the apes and not fight, Dreyfus refuses, strongly believing that his mission was a righteous one and that his actions were meant to “save the human race.” Just as Dreyfus believed in what he was doing was right, many conflicts in today’s world comes from people strongly believing that their views are more superior than others.

Though the film will be in the theaters for quite some time (last I heard it beat out Transformers and is the new “#1 movie in America”) I urge all who go to see it to come at it with a more analytical tone. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one of those rare movies that amidst the action, comedies, horror, and animated films that pour through one end of the box office and out the other, it stands as a strong testament to the human condition, and shows us that much more why we need a savior like God.