Andy Serkis

News, Reviews & Features
  • Black Panther

    Movie Review | Ali Gray | 9th February 2018

    One thing the Marvel Cinematic Universe does not need more of is white privilege. Tony Stark with his billion dollar problems. Captain America with his government sanctioned patriotism. Thor, the blonde-haired blue-eyed Norse God with claims to the throne. Peter Quill, the self-appointment Star-Lord, the so-called guardian of the galaxy. We're good for white dudes. Arriving far too late to the party is King T'Challa, a storied hero from Africa with a rich heritage who is finally breaking the unremitting streak of white heroes on the Marvel payroll. Without wanting to disservice the people of colour who have served the MCU well to date - Anthony Mackie, Zoe Saldana and let's not forget Samuel L motherfucking Jackson - Black Panther is the character that the Marvel universe, the movie industry and the entire world needs right now. It's hard to imagine a more righteous movie arriving at a more necessary time.

  • War For The Planet Of The Apes

    Movie Review | Ali Gray | 7th July 2017

    The Apes franchise has followed a pretty predictable release pattern thus far: they arrive with nary a fanfare smack bang in the middle of summer blockbuster season and subsequently smash the low expectations they set. Rise and Dawn were both sleeper hits, but War For The Planet Of The Apes brings with it a little too much baggage. Hung heavy with the weight of expectation, it is a largely bleak and downbeat affair: if this is to be the climactic part of the Apes saga, it feels like a graceful and dignified exit, but you can't help but think it could have gone out with more of a bang.

  • The 2014 movie poster mash-up you didn't know you didn't want to see

    Movie Feature | Ali Gray | 7th August 2014

    I'm just sayin' what everyone be thinkin', yo. (Large here).

  • Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

    Movie Review | Ali Gray | 14th July 2014

    CGI guys: I think it's safe to say the monkeys look enough like monkeys now. So could we maybe move the focus onto, y'know, the humans? Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is similar to its predecessor, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, in that the revolutionary effects work is so impressive, it successfully distracts from the film's complete and total lack of three-dimensional human characters. Though Dawn is a sturdy sequel that really gets into the swing of things about an hour or so in, it slips on that same banana peel – in making monkey more interesting and more fully-rounded than man, you question why they even bother giving the humans any screen time at all. I can confidently say that a third Apes movie featuring no human characters whatsoever would be the perfect evolution for an otherwise thrilling series that has itself evolved way beyond reasonable expectations.

  • See the finished CGI of the new Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes pic

    Movie Feature | Matt | 11th May 2013

    Move mouse over image to see the complete CGI version!


    That's right, I made you move your mouse for a cheap gag. Deal with it.

  • Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman, the style-challenged crimefighting duo

    Movie News | Ali | 16th July 2012

    The Hobbit's Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman snapped at Comic-Con, dressed in sweaty Miami Vice cosplay. I assume. (Thanks to ITN for the grab).

  • Andy Serkis for an Oscar? Let's nip this in the bud, shall we?

    Movie News | Ali | 4th November 2011

    According to reputable film-type people, Fox are going to push an Oscar campaign for Andy Serkis, due to his excellent motion-capture work in Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. You maniacs! Etc.

  • Why does The Guardian hate Tintin?

    Movie Feature | Ali | 1st November 2011

    You may have already seen Steven Spielberg's new movie, The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn. It's good, huh? Well, The Guardian couldn't disagree more: in fact, they've dedicated FOUR SIX separate op-ed pieces on why they disliked it so much. Protest much?

  • The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn

    Movie Review | Ali | 16th October 2011

    Despite a directorial career that spans – holy shit, 40 years? – The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn is Steven Spielberg's first animated film. Techniques have come and gone over the years, barriers have been broken, box-office records and preconceptions shattered alike, but only now has Spielberg decided the medium is ready for him – and he's picked his moment well. For all of the good work done by Robert Zemeckis, Peter Jackson and James Cameron, it is Spielberg who has justified the existence of motion-capture technology: The Adventures Of Tintin is a relentlessly thrilling, rip-roaring yarn that's as close as anyone has ever come to bringing a comic-book to life.

  • Brighton Rock

    Movie Review | Anna | 2nd February 2011

    There has to be a very good reason for taking on an adaptation of a beloved book or remaking a classic film - the Coen Brothers doing True Grit makes perfect sense - but I can't fathom the reason for Rowan Joffe reviving Brighton Rock. By any measure it's going to come off badly when compared to Graham Greene's novel or John Boulting's 1947 film. But let's shelve the comparisons for a couple of paragraphs.