ThePlanet of the Apesfranchise, at its core, has always been about the folly of mankind. After all, that same folly is what led to nuclear war and a group of hyper-evolved apes becoming the dominant species on the planet. And for the most part, the reboot trilogy that launched in 2011 continues that exploration, as the humans within the films commit acts that lead to their own self-destruction. But the trilogy also brings up a new recurring element: the connection between fathers and sons, and how the burden of fatherhood changes a man - and even an ape.
Fatherhood Themes Begin in ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’
This thread begins inRise of the Planet of the Apes, directed byRupert Wyatt. Will Rodman (James Franco) starts testing a viral serum named ALZ-112 on various chimpanzees. One of the chimpanzees, Bright Eyes, actually develops enhanced intelligence - but is soon shot down by guards at Will’s work when she flies into a frenzy. However, Will learns that there was a reason for Bright Eyes' rampage: she was trying to protect her son Caesar (Andy Serkis). Will takes Caesar under his wing, acting as a surrogate father to the young chimpanzee.
The revelation that Caesar has inherited his mother’s intelligence via the ALZ-112 only drives the point home, as Caesar starts to act like any boy growing up would. As his intelligence grows, he starts to question his place in the world even though Will assures him that his place is with him. That questioning only intensifies when Caesar is taken in by animal control after a confrontation with Will’s next-door neighbor (David Hewlett). In his new home, Caesar suffers physical and verbal abuse at the hands of Dodge Landon (Tom Felton) while bonding with the other apes. Finally, he subjects them to a large dose of ALZ-112 and leads an ape revolution through the streets of San Francisco.
This leads to a scene where Will begs Caesar to come home with him before things get worse. In response, Caesar says, “Caesar is home,” before swinging off into the woods. Part of fatherhood is learning to accept when your children have grown up, no matter if they’re your blood relatives or not. And as Caesar’s surrogate father, Will sees his son “grow up” because of his advanced intelligence and has to let him live his own life. It’s a heartwrenching scene because it feels realistic, even though it involves a talking ape. And it wouldn’t be the last time it happened within this series.
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Will’s Motives Around Developing ALZ-112 Relate to the Fatherhood Theme
Even Will’s motives for developing the ALZ-112 stem from the bond he has with his father Charles (John Lithgow). Charles is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and Will thinks the ALZ-112 will cure him. And it does, at first. But though he soon regains his memory, Charles begins to grow immune to the drug and reverts back to his former mental state. This drives Will to the brink, as he desperately tries to find a new cure for his father. “I can’t lose them both. I won’t lose them both,” he says, referring to Caesar and Charles. But he does, as Charles passes away and Caesar departs with his new colony of apes.
‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ Continues Exploring this Theme
The exploration of fatherhood would continue inDawn of the Planet of the Apes, which saw a new director inMatt Reevesand a shift in genre. The ALZ-112 evolved into a highly contagious virus known as the ALZ-113, decimating the majority of the human race while the apes grew in strength and intelligence. Soon, Caesar and his colony encounter a group of humans, including Malcolm (Jason Clarke) and his family. Man and ape form an unlikely bond, and deal with zealotry among their own kind: Caesar has to contend with the scarred ape Koba (Toby Kebbell) who bears resentment against mankind for the suffering he underwent, and Malcolm has to convince the leader of his settlement, Dreyfus (Gary Oldman), not to go to war against the apes. Both fail, as Koba attempts to kill Caesar while Dreyfus arms the settlement under the guise of “protection.”
Before all hell breaks loose, Malcolm and his wife Ellie (Keri Russell), alongside his stepson Alexander (Kodi Smit Mc-Phee) find Caesar and treat his wounds. By a stroke of fate, they end up in the Rodman house, and when Malcolm asks about Will Caesar simply responds that his foster father was “a good man…like you.” Alexander even winds up connecting with Caesar’s son Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston), as Blue Eyes is curious about his drawing. Malcolm also has an effect on Blue Eyes, as the young ape spares his life while he’s getting medical supplies. Caesar also stops Blue Eyes from going down the same path of self-destruction that Koba embarked upon, imparting a fatherly lesson about how apes can become just as cruel and bloodthirsty as humans.
‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ Brings the Fatherhood Theme Full Circle
Despite his desire for peace, Caesar and his apes end up going to war against humanity inWar for the Planet of the Apes. And things only get worse when the Colonel (Woody Harrelson) of the paramilitary Alpha-Omega force kills his wife Cornelia (Judy Greer) and Blue Eyes. This sends Caesar down a dark path, as he seeks vengeance against the Colonel and is haunted by recurring visions of Koba. Instead of looking after his only son Cornelius (Devyn Dalton), Caesar passes him off to the other apes. But things change when he encounters the mute girl Nova (Amiah Miller). Having lost her father, Nova latches on to the other apes. And while he’s initially reluctant to have her around, Caesar grows to protect her as if she was his own flesh and blood. In a way, he comes full circle and steps into the role that Will once served for him.
In the end, Caesar does stop the Alpha-Omega forces by blowing up their fortress but suffers a fatal wound in the process. As he lays dying, his old friend Maurice (Karin Konoval) says, “Son will know who was father… And what Caesar did for us.” This is the fulfillment of a promise Maurice made to Caesar before they began their journey, and it also serves as a metaphor for how children view their fathers. In our youth, we see our parents as near-mythic figures - which fits Caesar’s journey to a T. With the upcomingKingdom of the Planet of the Apesserving as a continuation of the story inWar, hopefully directorWes Ballcontinues to work the relationship between fathers and children into this new entry.
