John Hamil was a chief of the California Highway Patrol who was tasked with stopping the Ape Rebellion.
History[]
Early Career[]
Before becoming police chief, John joined the California Highway Patrol, a law enforcement agency that handles crime across California. At some point, he was promoted to the rank of chief, making him fourth in command of the California Highway Patrol, and also the superior of all units around San Francisco. Though it is unclear when but it has been confirmed that John in some point of his life learned how to fly an helicopter, specifically a UH-1A Huey helicopter as he was the one piloting the helicopter later on in the movie.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes[]
Hamil helped investigate the scene of the ape's escape as well as the death of Dodge Landon at the San Bruno Primate Shelter. He then headed to Gen-Sys Laboratories in a police helicopter, after hearing of the attack staged there by Caesar. Hamil believed it wouldn't be a challenge to stop Caesar's army, stating it would be like "shooting fish in a barrel" but frequently kept calling the California Highway Patrol's chief officer if they saw the apes. Once Hamil landed at Gen-Sys, the helicopter crew was commandeered him and advised by Steven Jacobs, the head of Gen-Sys, who wanted to stop Caesar and the apes to avoid bad publicity at all costs.
After heading to the Golden Gate Bridge, which Caesar and his apes pushed through the police posted there to stop them, the helicopter began to fire on the apes, killing several, much to the delight of Jacobs. Jacobs eventually spotted Caesar on the bridge leading the attack and directed the chopper gunners and Hamil's fire toward him. Before Hamil and his crew were able to kill Caesar in a hail of bullets Buck a Western lowland gorilla, shoved Caesar out of the way and, after being shot several times by Hamil, who was the only able occupant due to his gunner being subdued by the winch hook, leaped onto the helicopter and proceeded to beat the co-pilot, causing it to crash on to the bridge, killing Hamil and his crew, but not Jacobs. After Buck succumbed to his wounds from the crash after being shot by Hamil, Caesar allowed his violent and ill-tempered bonobo lieutenant Koba to push the remains of the helicopter, along with a terrified Jacobs and the bodies of Hamil, the pilot, and the gunner, off the bridge and into the bay below.
Notes[]
- John Hamil was the tertiary antagonist of Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
- Hamil is mentioned a few times throughout Firestorm. It was mentioned that his death was a part of the coverup by the San Francisco Mayor's office.
References[]