Sequel to 2011’s ‘Rise’ a thoughtful examination of differences and, more important, similarities

“Ape not kill ape.” The maxim bubbles to the surface again and again in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” a tenet that’s meant to help differentiate the enlightened apes from the destructive humans. But as the sequel to 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” plays out, another quote, this one from Martin Luther King Jr.. comes to mind: “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness.” Only one of these remains true by the end of the movie. You can probably guess which one.

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Read more: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” review (2011)

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It’s been a decade since the events of “Rise”: The opening sequence recaps the collapse of society as the Simian Flu, the name of the virus from the previous movie that gave rise to increasingly intelligent apes, wreaks fatal havoc on humanity. (The survival rate: 1 in 500; in real-life numbers, that would mean about 14 million humans left alive.) In fact, Caesar, the star simian of “Rise” (and portrayed once again by the phenomenal Andy Serkis via stunning motion capture), thinks humanity is actually extinct at this point: “Humans destroyed each other,” he says, resigned to the possibility.

But even as humanity has just about faded from the earth, the same can’t be said for the apes. Caesar’s colony, which was established in the Muir Woods National Monument near San Francisco at the end of “Rise,” has exploded in size. Caesar and his mate, Cornelia (portrayed by Judy Greer), are welcoming their second son, Cornelius. (Blue Eyes, portrayed by Nick Thurston, is the elder son.) Orangutan Maurice (portrayed by Karin Konoval) and bonobo Koba (portrayed by Toby Kebbell), both of whom were featured in “Rise,” are serving as Caesar’s lieutenants. And life is calm.

Until the humans — loud, fearful, armed to the teeth with guns (a depressingly foreboding element in “Dawn”) — show up.

Said humans (Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee) and their leader (Gary Oldman) are attempting to re-energize a dam to power the city and to reach the outside world via radio. The dam is in Caesar’s territory. The mistrust is instant, the tension palpable. (And Michael Giacchino’s superb score helps amplify the mood throughout.)

The beating heart of “Dawn,” directed by Matt Reeves from a script by Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, is how Caesar and the humans interact. Trust is established. Trust is broken. Some mistakes are forgiven. Some aren’t. And some choices — by human and ape alike — aren’t mistakes at all. By the time the credits roll, it’s clear, despite their differences, just how similar they are. (A lovely scene where Caesar returns to his childhood home from “Rise” perfectly captures that sentiment.)

All of this well-paced and engaging plot takes place amid a phenomenal world of visual effects, thanks once again to Weta Digital, which did the motion capture and VFX for the first movie. The environments, apes and other animals (including a terrifying bear) are stunningly realized. Just watch the way the wind blows through an ape’s hair, or how real the destruction looks during a brutal clash: Much like with “Rise,” “Dawn” is a master class in visual prowess.

In the end, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is a thoughtful examination of the differences and, more important, similarities between the ascendant apes and declining humans, of what trust looks like when earned — and broken. Caesar’s evolution into a wartime leader (we know there’ll be a third “Apes” movie, with Reeves at the helm) is deftly handled, thanks in great deal to the performance of the cast, Serkis in particular. And all of this is elevated by breathtaking visuals (including amazing motion capture) and high-octane action sequences. If the original franchise is any sort of roadmap to the future of the current reboot series, we can guess that hard times are still in Caesar’s future. He doesn’t want war against the humans; it’s likely he’s going to get it anyway.

Four “It’s a matter of trust” stars out of five.