Critics are uproarious in their praise for Fox's sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The movie, which follows 2011's well received effort, focuses on a growing nation of genetically evolved apes who, after initially reaching fragile peace, go to war with a group of human survivors to determine Earth's dominant species.

Dawn of the Planet of the ApesJason Clarke in 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'

The movie stars Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman and Keri Russell, though it is the wizardry of director Matt Reeves that has garnered the majority of praise from critics.

"It is certainly thrilling to see how Reeves and his CGI wizards bring their hordes of apes to life. Honestly, if I didn't know they were computerized, I'd have thought they'd brought off an evolutionary miracle" said David Edelstein of New York magazine.

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"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is an extremely high-functioning sci-fi thriller about extremely high-functioning apes. Some of it may seem silly in the recounting, or in the trailer, but it doesn't feel silly in the theater," said Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal.

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the best and brainiest blockbuster of the summer, the kind of movie you hope for when you pay your money and buy your popcorn," said Peter Howell of the Toronto Star.

Dawn of the Planet of the ApesScary apes in 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes takes everything great about the first film and kicks it up to a higher level. One of the best (and most technically proficient) films of 2014," said Kofi Outlaw of ScreenRant.

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes gets to be exciting and to say something about the world instead of merely blowing it up. The apes are among the more intellectually complex characters you're likely to spend time with this summer," said Wesley Morris of Grantland.com.

"The best of this summer's blockbuster movies. It is amazing. The most entertaining, exciting, provocative and powerful of all the Apes films," said Peter Hammond of Movieland.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is out in U.S. theaters now. 

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