Pacific Rim Review

Pacific Rim

3 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Humongous sea monsters versus ginormous metal robots -- so is the premise of Pacific Rim. Fanboys and those of the geeky nature are probably drooling at the mouth. Their biggest dream has come true. Everyone else has probably lost faith in cinema. Never fear, cinephiles, for Pacific Rim is (gasp!) actually great.

Horrific Japanese sea monsters called Kaiju are emerging from a crack in the Pacific and terrorizing cities around the globe. The only entities capable of stopping these terrifying beasts are the Jaegers, giant robots manned by two human pilots who must connect their minds and work together in order to control these colossal hunks of metal. (Stick with me here. I know how kooky all of this sounds). However, the Jaegers are losing to the Kaiju, and a powerful combat commander (Idris Elba) approaches two people who might be capable of stopping this madness: Raleigh (Charlie Hunnam) and Mako (Rinko Kikuchi). Raleigh is a former pilot who suffered hardship after a particularly difficult battle that resulted in the death of his brother. Mako is a skilled trainee and assistant who has a personal connection with the Kaiju after they destroyed her family. These two damaged people must team up and suit up within a legendary Jaegar that is ancient but lethal. The fate of human survival is at stake, and only these two can prevent the Kaiju from destroying the earth.

In case you were wondering, Pacific Rim is not a Transformers knockoff. Pacific Rim is a much stronger film, mostly due to the spectacular direction of Guillermo Del Toro. What differentiates Pacific Rim from Transformers is that it's an actual movie. It's not just an eye-candy thrill ride, even though there's plenty of stunning visuals to witness. There's an actual story here, and even though it's not particularly new or surprising, there's something with which we can follow. We root for these heroes on a personal and global level. We understand exactly who is good and who is bad, and we know what is at stake. Most impressively, the combat is extraordinarily well-done. Del Toro makes it so that the action is not simply a dizzying frenzy. We can follow the action without jarring edits and crazy camera-angles. We get multiple perspectives on the action and are thus drawn into the combat rather than turned off by it. Del Toro knows that people are seeing this movie for the action, and he does his ultimate best to make it as sensational as possible. However, he doesn't forget the story at heart. And that's why this is a successful movie. It's equal parts story and spectacle. And for the most part, everything works.

Another high point of Del Toro's direction is his use of CGI and 3D. The Kaiju and Jaegers are so beautifully detailed. The Kaiju are truly grotesque, with their scaly skin, sharp teeth, and oddly-shaped bodies. And the Jaegers each have different details to them -- maybe the sheen is different, and the textures consist of different materials. Each of these behemoths are so spectacular to watch and truly make the story world richer. It's even more astonishing to witness this film in 3D. I saw it in IMAX 3D and was blown away with each and every frame. The Kaiju truly feel like real live beings. The Jaegers are spectacularly gigantic. When they fight, the 3D accentuates the destruction of these huge battles. The glass shards fly out, the walls crumble, and the ocean waves roar with life. If you see this movie, IMAX 3D is the way to go. It totally immerses you in this fantastical world and makes you realize just how awesome this movie is.

What really helps sell this movie and makes it more believable than it should be is the talented cast. All of the actors play their roles seriously. They aren't going into cartoon-land here. Charlie Hunnam is a completely charming and likable lead, who mixes tough with soft. Even when the dialogue is a little corny or cheesy, he delivers the lines with such convincing believability that it's hard not to root for him. Rinko Kikuchi has the most complex and layered performance here. On one hand, she's a badass action chick, and one of the few females to actual engage in combat. However, on the other hand, she has to be vulnerable and emotional and show some dimension. She expresses the depths of her character well. Idris Elba is solid, although we've seen him better in other works. There are some really great standout side performances as well. Robert Kazinsky is quite good as a rude and unlikable pilot who eventually undergoes some growth and evolution as the film progresses. Charlie Day and Burn Gorman are hilarious as a pair of hysterical, wise-cracking nerds who attempt to learn the scientific capabilities and complexities of the Kaiju. And Ron Pearlman is a scene-stealer, playing off of his funny yet scary persona.

Ultimately, Pacific Rim is a much better movie than you'd expect. The direction is on point, the acting is fantastic, the visuals are extraordinary, and the action is terrific. Give this movie a chance. If you can get past the ridiculous premise and some subpar writing, you'll be in for one of the biggest surprises of the year. Pacific Rim is one of the most entertaining films of the summer. It's a cool blast and pure popcorn escapism. Three stars out of four.