Title – Pacific Rim (2013)
Director – Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy)
Cast – Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman
Plot – Kaiju, giant sea like monsters have been making their way through a portal in the Pacific Ocean, threating humanity on a regular basis. To combat these destructive killing monsters the humans create the Jaegers, our very own giant robotic beasts. Pacific Rim focuses on these machines and humanity’s fight for survival, including pilots Raleigh and Mako (Hunnam and Kikuchi), Army leader Stacker (Elba) and nerdy scientist Dr. Newton Geiszler (Day).
“Today, we are cancelling the Apocalypse!”
Review by Eddie on 12/07/2013
(Please note this review was for the 3-D version of the film)
If you have ever wanted your eyeballs to partake in a 5 star viewing experience look no further than del Toro’s assault on the visual senses, Pacific Rim. Del Toro’s giant monsters fighting equally as giant robots is a true big screen experience offering up an epic film on a scale unlike anything you have ever likely witnessed before, just don’t go in expecting any Shakespearian type dialogue or convoluted storylines. Pacific Rim is purely there for your entertainment and nothing more.
The movie wastes no time getting down to the nitty gritty, the things you want to see when paying for a monsters v robots movie. From almost the first frame del Toro is only interested in showing off his incredible CGI creations, witness as giant monsters from the deep lay waste to bridges, cities and all in their path, these scenes instantly creating a huge sense of awe and wonder all the while coming at you in well used 3-D technology. Del Toro should be a proud creator, these creatures are some of the biggest and nastiest seen on screen in quite some time.
Pacific Rim is so focussed on the CGI money shot’s that it’s quite true the characters in the piece play second fiddle and offer up nothing particularly interesting, it’s not to say any of the actors do a bad job however. Hunnam gives one of his better performances as the hero Raleigh, Elba offers up gravitas as Stacker owning some of his more aggressive scenes and Day gives us some pretty decent comic relief as the Kaiju loving scientist Newton. The actors that suffer most from their rolls are Kikuchi as the token female Mako and the Australian pilots Herc (Max Martini) and Chuck Hansen (Robert Kazinsky) whose accents are nothing more than horribly distracting.
In the end you should know if you want to see Pacific Rim. If a fun time at the movies is what you are wanting mixed with some very impressive visuals and ideas this is the movie for you. Anyone criticising the movie for story or dialogue needs to reconsider why they are even watching the film. Props to del Toro for creating an original popcorn spectacle! Here’s hoping everyone jumps on board to make it a success, we could always do with more robots hitting monsters with giant freight ships.
3 and a half very entertained Kaiju brains out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
To be honest I had no inclination to watch this movie when I first saw the trailer. In fact I thought it would flop much like the Lone Ranger did. But I keep reading good reviews. Might check it out this weekend.
I had very low expectations as well – but really is a joy to behold on the big screen! Leave your thinking cap at home and sit back and let the visuals take you away. A heck of a lot of fun 🙂 (Eddie)
It’s hard to leave my thinking cap at home but I will try lol I think I’ll watch it on Saturday. I’ll let you know what I think. Plus I’m almost done with Paperboy. I’ll comment on that post when I’m done.
Good to hear mate, look forward to hearing your thoughts on both of those films. Both more than likely will always reamain in the divide between those who love them and those who hate them. (Eddie)
Sorry it’s taken so long to reply. I watched Pacific Rim on Sunday and I just finished watching The Paperboy just now.
PR: I surprisingly enjoyed watching it. Like you I thought it wouldn’t be that great. Aside from the dialogue, the rest of the movie is pretty awesome. The way I like to describe it is as ridiculously good. Because it literally is ridiculous (concept, plot) but good as well. Thanks for the good review.
I also enjoyed the Paperboy. Kidman is great. No wonder there was some Oscar buzz from her performance. Efron probably gave his best performance. I thought the film was quite intriguing. I thought the ending was good. I didn’t really expect it.
Fantastic to hear your thoughts! I think Pacific Rim offers up the biggest purely entertaining specatcle this summer and as you said with the Paperboy had some pretty standout elements. The ending as you said came right out of left field. Keep in contact and happy watching (Eddie)
Will do. Glad I’m following you both. 🙂
Glad to provide you with some hopefully fresh and original insight into all things film 🙂 mutual love all round! (Eddie)
Going to watch it tonight, in less than 7 hours from now. I love Giant Monsters and have been waiting for this film since I first heard about it, and to think that in about 10 months from now, Legendary Pictures will release their new Godzilla film also.
Your in for a real treat numbers! I think Gareth Edwards will do a great job with Godzilla. (Eddie)
Hey, thanks for reading my review! I liked yours too – I saw the movie in 2D and based on some chats I’ve had with others, the movie seemed a lot more intelligent and nuanced without the Big Damn Distractions. Then again, I’m that girl who will argue the Cultural Importance of Genre Film and Speculative Fiction…but I think there are some hidden brains in this big popcorn flick.
Or maybe I just give my boy Guillermo too much credit. 😉
No credit needs to be given where credit is due 🙂 del Toro has made a very imaginitve film with some fantastic spectacle. (Eddie)
Great review, and thanks very much for liking my Sharknado review. I also wrote a review of Pacific Rim here — http://projectedrealities.wordpress.com/2013/07/13/movie-review-pacific-rim/ — and to be honest I actually really did enjoy the story and characters. I felt that the movie was “all about” personal chemistry, dealing with emotional baggage, and setting aside disagreements–and yet it really wasn’t a romance film. Absolutely wonderful movie.
Was a great summer flick that’s for sure. With so many misfires it was a great time at the cinema. (Eddie)
Thanks for your response. 🙂 Will need to check your other reviews to see what films you felt were misfires.
There has been more than usual this year sadly so happy reading 🙂 (Eddie)
Thank you for reading my pretty random movie review and I really liked this one.
“Anyone criticising the movie for story or dialogue needs to reconsider why they are even watching the film.”
This is very true.
Pacific Rim is probably my favourite blockbuster this year and I am especially thankful that del Toro did not make them kiss at the end. It would have destroyed the whole thing.
He actually is one of my favourite directors and if you haven’t, please check out his Pan’s Labyrinth. This is my all time favourite.
Hi Katie.
So glad you to enjoyed Pacific, along with Gravity and Elysium there the best big budget films of the year by far.
Pans labyrinth is a work of art and more than likely will always be Del Toros best and most complete work.
Eddie
Hey thanks for stopping by and liking my post. I had to come by and see if you guys did a review and obviously you did which I totally agree with 100%. I hope you guys stay tuned and give me some feedback as I continue my pseudo-analysis. Thanks!
Will do mate, glad you enjoyed Pacific as much as we did. A real guilty pleasure joy with a lot of fun ideas.
Eddie
That’s exactly the thing with this film – big things hitting each other! I like a good, well crafted drama that tugs at the intellectual heart-strings as much as the next film buff. But when it comes to monsters and robots – big things hitting each other! Yeah! ‘Splosions!!! Woooo!
That’s it Banzai, sometimes all you need is a brain switch off and some decent cheese filled action.
Eddie
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