No amount of progress in CGI facial expressions can make up for an unimaginative story and a clumsy script. A better screenwriter could have done so much more with this premise. As it stands, this is just another example for film class on an over-reliance of technique over substance.
It was impressive to see a vaguely chimpanzee face make human expressions. There are lots of micro-expressions and nuances a human viewer could appreciate. They clearly worked very hard at it. They are clearly very proud of it. But after a while the movie seemed like a demo-reel for those wizards. It is no surprise that the extras go straight into a facial CGI documentary slash fundraiser.
The dialog is trite and uninspired. And this just draws attention to how far the art has to go. The uncanny valley is wide. We have not crossed o'er. The walking, running, fighting, falling, are all still campy and cartoonish. If it only told a good story then maybe this movie would not be unwatchable in another ten years.
It was impressive to see a vaguely chimpanzee face make human expressions. There are lots of micro-expressions and nuances a human viewer could appreciate. They clearly worked very hard at it. They are clearly very proud of it. But after a while the movie seemed like a demo-reel for those wizards. It is no surprise that the extras go straight into a facial CGI documentary slash fundraiser.
The dialog is trite and uninspired. And this just draws attention to how far the art has to go. The uncanny valley is wide. We have not crossed o'er. The walking, running, fighting, falling, are all still campy and cartoonish. If it only told a good story then maybe this movie would not be unwatchable in another ten years.