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Pacific Rim got hammered pretty hard by a lot of confused critics who apparently only know Guillermo del Toro from his more artistic magical realism work and somehow missed Hellboy, Mimic, and Blade 2. Pacific Rim belongs solidly to the latter camp, but it's a labor of love and is missing none of the flair that makes del Toro films so special. At its core it is essentially a Western Super Sentai film; heroes suit up in giant robots to battle monsters that are invading our dimension... And that's it. You can foist all sorts of allegory onto this movie if you want, and you can plumb it for deeper meaningit's rich enoughbut at the end of the day it's a thrilling adventure about friendship, big robots, and monster punching. Wet blankets need not apply.
Short summary: a portal to an alien world opens under the ocean and giant monsters come out. The governments of the world team up to battle them, eventually doing so with Jaegers, huge robots piloted by two psychically linked pilots who must act in tandem to control their war machines. For a while this goes swimmingly, but the money dries up and the monsters keep coming, and soon the fate of the world rests on crusty and intensely likeable Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) who runs the world's last 4 jaegers in an endless war against the monsters out of Hong Kong. Pentacost has a plan to destroy the portal that brings the monsters to earth but to do that he recruits emotionally scarred Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) who must copilot with the impetuous and vengeful Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) for one last big mission. Cue a ton of fighting and explosions.
This film showcases a lot of newcomer actors to great effect. The burgeoning friendship between Mori and Becket is particularly well done (it is best described as a guy-girl bromance really) and the rest of the cast does science, runs from monsters, or is Ron Perlman (yes that's a role now) very effectively. Idris Elba gets to play to his strengths very well here and chew a lot of scenery as an AGING HERO with SAD SECRETS, and lest you think that del Toro will craft a strong black lead then stick him in an office like every other director, rest assured that Pentacost punches monsters in a big robot too.
Of course the fights are the meat of the film and they do not disappoint. The robots and monsters convey a powerful sense of size and weight, as their enormous fists, tails, and jaws gnash and hit with weight and authority. Fights are almost wholly digital affairs and perhaps to save money they are usually in rainy darkness, but they are still exciting and tense. The multi-stage throwdown in Hong Kong at the film's peak is one of the best giant monster battles ever committed to film and I say that as a die-hard Godzilla fan.
Some critics have panned this film for a lack of depth, but the truth is that it does what it wants todeliver a summer blockbusterand it does so with unprecedented depth. Its writing, performances, and effects easily put it on par with The Avengers as a smart summer action romp, and to disrespect this film because it's not another Pan's Labyrinth is sort of like saying a really good ice cream sundae is undeserving of your time because it's not a baked Alaska. Lest we overlook it too, Rim is also an ORIGINAL film in an industry plagued by remakes, sequels, and general unoriginality. You don't have to buy it (although I would) but you should absolutely see it in theaters or rent it at least once. Don't miss out.
PROS
-Endearing performances from a young cast (with help from some veterans)
-Way, way better than Cloverfield
-Blends Artsy del Toro's flair for eerie creatures and dream imagery with comic geek del Toro's love of SMASH POW BAM
-Effective ear bug soundtrack will stick with you
-Really good 3D if that's your thing
CONS
-Some of the other Jaeger crews are not very well developed
-The very beginning crams a lot of exposition in pretty fast
UPDATE 10/21/2013
So I received and watched the disk. The standard version of Rim comes in a handsome slipcase with a fun holographic cover that APPEARS to be removable (although a true collector won't want to of course...). The BD itself is easily navigable and all trailers are skippable. There is a whole other disk of special features which I have not yet watched. Overall this feels very premium, more like a collector's edition than a basic retail set. The case doesn't even have cutouts to save material as many BD cases do nowadays.
Picture quality is outstanding overall. On the small screen, and without the slight softening effect of 3D, this actually reveals some sort of cheap-looking CGI in the first Kaiju encounter during the opening narration*. Thankfully, subsequent battles look great. The movie is free from excessive cleanup and boasts the odd bit of grain, making it look very filmic and natural, even when big monsters and big robots are clubbing one another with bits of dockyard.
Audio is suitably bombastic and rich, with voices, music, and effects all mixed to a consistent, listenable volume range (I'm looking at you, first two Iron Man films on home video).
Overall this is a great Blu Ray and watching it at home the film held up to my initial high opinion.
* This is probably because much of this sequence was produced long before editing of the remainder of the film was completed.
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If you ever watched a Godzilla movie, or any other giant monster movie, and wanted to see what it might look like with today's special effects, grab your popcorn and check out Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim."In the near future, Earth faces invasion from giant monsters (Kaiju), who emerge from the ocean and wreak havoc on coastal cities. The humans create giant robot Jaegers to fight them. For a while this works, but the monsters grow stronger and once again overwhelm the humans. Pacific Rim follows a former robot jockey who is called back to duty as the human defenses dwindle.....
I've looked forward to this movie for a long time, as I loved the giant monster movies of my youth. This didn't disappoint. Interesting and intimidating Kaiju, unique and powerful Jaegers, well choreographed fight scenes, and awesome special effects combine to make this a fantastic summer movie. There were several scenes which had the audience cheering and applauding.
I've rated this 5 stars because it was exactly what I was looking for. If you are looking for a deep character-driven film, this might not be for you. I would question why you are going to a giant monster vs. giant robot movie for that. If you want to see utter destruction and great fight scenes, you really cant' go wrong with Pacific Rim.
I saw this in the theater in 3D, and while the 3D was prevalent and pretty good, it faltered when the scenes called for 3D and subtitles. Nevertheless, it is highly worthy not only of seeing in a theater (the scenes will not play as well on a smaller screen) but it is also worth paying the extra price for 3D (something I don't say often).
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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I'll say up front, though it bears little resemblance to the monster sized dump that is Michael Bay's "Transformers" trilogy-Pacific Rim is the type of movie Bayformers should have been. What I mean by that-is that unlike those hell spawned abominations-Pacific Rim delivers giant robots that awe and inspire instead of ones that pee on people and dangle metallic testicles. Also unlike Bayformers you will not be forced to witness any dog humping or have to groan through lame "jokes" about red mugs in yellow rooms. (No 45 minute long who-gives-a-crap job interview scenes in here either)Thankfully-Pacific Rim does not take an uber-cool property and twist it, turn it and crush it beyond recognition into some overly long, lame one-note joke of a film. Instead, it's completely earnest and non cynical in its delivery. I've been a fan of Guillermo Del Toro since Pan's Labyrinth (a BRILLIANT adult fairy tale) and have gone back and watched his other films to discover what a true master of the art he really is. I went into Pacific Rim with realistic expectations-daring to hope that it would be the movie I wanted it to be. I left the theater transformed into a little boy filled with wonder and amazement at what I had just witnessed. Though this film is jam packed with special effects-they serve to add to the story not to take away from it or go unnecessarily over the top (I'm looking at you Man of Steel...).
The Jaegers here are a marvel to behold and easy on the eyes (unlike the overcomplicated designs of the Bayformers). The sense of scale and power they inspire is awe striking and the Jaegers are beautifully designed in every way. In fact, the whole movie (praise to the art director) is incredibly consistent in its design-whisking us far away from the real world into the candy colored Kaiju vs. Jaeger world of the future which is EXACTLY what a good movie SHOULD do. This film takes special effects far beyond mere gimmickry and serves them up as colorful and artistic as possible. Even if Pacific Rim is not your kind of movie, you can't help but to be blown away by how beautiful it all is. While the story here may not be Oscar-worthy, it's still very sound and interesting and the characters (mostly unknown actors) are very likable. Idris Elba is good in everything he does and his role here is no different. Charlie Hunnam also brings a lot of charisma to the protagonist. In short, Pacific Rim is a well meaning film that knows EXACTLY what kind of film it is and it aims right for the heart of the little boy inside us all. For me, it brought back that sense of wonder and awe my adult self had forgotten movies were still capable of delivering. I really enjoyed playing in Guillermo Del Toro's sand box. Pacific Rim is a monsters vs. robots smash fest and it's completely unapologetic about being exactly that. Do yourself a favor and give Pacific Rim a look. See it in the theater if you can for the sheer sense of scale. Fathers take your sons to see this film too. If movies like this continue to flounder at the box office, it's a guarantee that original ideas will cease to exist and the summer box office season will be bloated with more sequels, spin offs, reboots, etc. Del Toro nailed this one, it's the movie his career has been building up to. I just knew he had something spectacular up his sleeve and Pacific Rim is that film. It's fantastic.
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Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim is 2 hours of pure, unadulterated, escapist, awesome FUN. You want plot? I'll give you plot: Giant robots. With buzz saws, swords, guns, and fists. Fighting giant monsters. With acid, horns, claws, and wings.And that is all the plot you need. Let the most fun, action-packed, thrilling, awesome, escapist action/science fiction blockbuster event of the year begin! Pacific Rim is a film that appeals to the 12-year-olds in all of us. The action takes place on a gigantic scale, huge, operatic, devastating, lots of bashing and punching, but here's the thing: it was refreshing to see a climactic fight scene that did NOT take place in a major city, in which huge skyscrapers are destroyed, with people running from men in spandex. There was a lot of city destruction, but compared to Man of Steel or Star Trek Into Darkness or The Avengers, Pacific Rim was refreshingly "light and airy."
Those were director Guillermo del Toro's words on the tone he was hoping to strike for the film, as opposed to the usual "super-brooding, super-dark, cynical summer movie." Although the majority of the film takes place in the dark and the rain, I believe he succeeded.
...
But let me tell you this: I have never been more involved in a movie than when I watched Pacific Rim in the cinema. I was cheering during the fight scenes and literally gripping the sides of my chair in some parts. The characters were real and sympathetic, and even the Jaegers become relatable characters. This is in no small part to the acting, which was all round excellent and, at times, surprisingly subtle.
Raleigh Becket is played with charisma and style by Charlie Hunnam, and Rinko Kikuchi turns in a surprisingly excellent performance as Mako Mori, Raleigh's drifting partner. Idris Elba is never bad, and although his character tends to be a bit, he is also really cool and brings a real presence to the film (And who can forget his line, "Today...we are cancelling the APOCALYPSE!" Oh yeah, By punching it in the face!). Charlie Day and Burn Gorman bring the levity and the comic relief, and both are entertaining as the feuding scientists Newton Gieszler and Hermann Gottlieb. Del Toro's good luck charm is here too; the ever reliable Ron Perlman, who chews the scenery with his usual wacky gusto. Max Martini gives a surprisingly awesome role as Hercules Hanson, one of the veteran Jaeger pilots in the Pan Pacific Defense Corps.
The human characters have realistic drama and conflict, and their actions and emotions are real to the audience...blah blah BLAH. Of course; we all know that. Del Toro is a veteran director, adept at world-building, immersive atmosphere, memorable characters, sincere emotion, and utter terror. But that's not what you came for, is it? We came for giant robots versus giant monsters. And on that front...Pacific Rim delivers!
The action, is, in a word, completely AWESOME. I say that in the literal sense. The Hong Kong fight will blow your friggin' mind. I was literally cheering at the screen. When you read it from a secondhand perspective, it may sound clichéd or even juvenile, but that moment where Crimson Typhoon (China) comes out with its 4 buzz saws, and Cherno Alpha (Russia) starts punching kaiju face...it's enough to make you feel 12 years-old again. It's the most incredibly thrilling and viscerally awesome scene in a movie I have seen in a long, long time. And I see a lot of movies. I could have given Pacific Rim 5 stars for that scene alone.
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But let's talk cons. This is definitely a more of a guy's movie. Nearly every female in the audience I watched it with described it as "Crazy", or halfheartedly called it "Good..." or, "Not my type of movie". There are a quite a few plot holes, and I feel that the climax was not handled as well as it should have (could have). There was a curious lack of emotion, and let me just say that it was slightly underwhelming for me.
But that is not to detract from this otherwise excellent film. Technically, Guillermo strikes home. The CGI is amazing, and the use of 3D adds rather than detracts from the film. The score by Ramin Djawadi is stirring and catchy and completely awesome; becoming my new FAVOURITE 2013 SCORE, taking 1st prize over Hans Zimmer's more operatic Man of Steel score. The editing is very good; no shaky cam here. The camera work is filled with Del Toro's typically beautiful, stylistic flourishes and striking imagery. The production design feels lived in, worn in, and is realistic without taking all the fun out of the entertaining sci-fi world Pacific Rim takes place in.
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I'm running out of things to say here. Just go watch Pacific Rim, preferably at the biggest screen possible, in 3D (excellent use of it, I must say), and with the volume blaring. It's that rare thing in Hollywood nowadays: the completely original blockbuster. And as such, we must hail Guillermo del Toro as one of the great cinematic visions of our time. This is a subject of passion to him, and he directs with passion and with fervour. And the audiences, well, they're just swept along for the ride of a lifetime!
Just go watch Pacific Rim! My rating? Level five kaiju out of five.
P.S. Guillermo del Toro, we NEED a sequel!
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I'm not going to try to write a better or more detailed review than others that you will see here. I think they've said it better than I can or will.First of all, let's keep this in perspective: I'm a mature woman (over 50), business professional and a martial artist and I'm going back for an eleventh viewing tomorrow. (Ever watch a movie for the umpteenth time, knowing that once you get through the 'boring' part, you'll get back to the good stuff? Pacific Rim doesn't have a boring part you have to 'get through'; it contains only 'good stuff.')
What I can say is that this movie is beyond fantastic. It's brilliant. It's uplifting. It shows people at their best, rather than at their worst; it shows humanity at its best as well.
Is it flawless? No but the flaws are minor and don't take anything away from the movie as a whole.
What truly makes this movie isn't the acting, the Jaegers, the kaiju or any other single aspect, but rather the absolute love of Guillermo del Toro for the genre; it shows in every detail. Watch for scenes like the flawless transition from Mako's transition from inside Gipsy Danger to entering her memory; the entire 'little Mako' scenario it's terrifying!; the details like the rain bouncing off Gipsy Danger when she punches her fist after leaving the base in Alaska on the first mission of the film; Tendo's 'tap out' after the final battle; watch the incredible body mechanics that are captured in the motion of Striker Eureka's run in Hong Kong Bay (and in the fight in Sydney and this is a scene that takes only a few seconds!), the motion of Gipsy as she recaptures her balance after being thrown onto the dock, Gipsy as she carries the oil tanker, and again, her body mechanics as she accelerates to run after the kaiju in Hong Kong. In most CGI, the 'weight' of the body is lost in the motion; here, it's captured beautifully and for these little scenes alone, the movie is unparalleled. Add to this the great music (listen to the changes as the scenes in Hong Kong Bay shift from Crimson Typhoon to Cherno Alpha), the absolute refusal of Travis Beacham to yield to the typical cliches you expect in these movies, and you end up with a movie that is, as far as I am concerned, possibly the best movie ever.
Really.
No hyperbole.
Best.
Movie.
Ever.
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