Pacific Rim (B or 3/4 stars)
Looking for the closest thing to a Transformers movie this summer? Well, I highly recommend 'Pacific Rim' (directed by the great Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) - mostly because it's far better than any Transformer movie could hope to be. The cinematography is better than Michael Bay's Transformer franchise. The production designs/special effects are more unique (the worlds created). And there is a slightly better "attempt" at the human elements. This film begins with a quick, concise recap of what has been occurring on Earth to this point (the near future). Subterranean creatures - called "Kaiju" by the world media - have woken up from millions of years of slumber & arisen from a rift deep in the Pacific Ocean to wreak havoc on all of humanity.
To counter this apocalyptic threat, the governments of the world join to fund the advanced "Jaeger" program - giant robots piloted by 2 brain-linked humans that can go head-to-head with the seemingly unstoppable Kaiju. For some time, the Jaeger have the upper hand on the situation & the pilots achieve rock star status. Howwwwever, over time, the Kaiju evolve, become more powerful, more dangerous, & the frequency of their appearances increase dramatically. All but 4 Jaeger robots are destroyed. The program is de-funded and, led by Marshal Pentecost (Idris Elba) ... they are forced to go underground & work as a 'resistance'.
At the height of this war, Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam, of Sons of Anarchy fame) an elite Jaeger pilot whose beloved brother was killed in combat, disappears into obscurity (building city walls to keep the Kaiju out). Now, with the Kaiju seemingly ready to dominate the world, Stacker finds him & pulls him back into immediate active duty. Raleigh's damaged Jaeger robot has been reconstructed & upgraded with the latest state-of-the-art fighting skills. And all he needs now is a new co-pilot - someone he finds in Pentecost's mysterious ward, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi, Oscar-nominated in 2006's Babel). Their 1st trial run is a complete disaster but, when a pair of Kaiju show up to attack Hong Kong & disable 3 of the remaining 4 Jaegers ... there's no option but to send Raleigh & Mako into action.
The Hong Kong battle that occurs 2/3 through the film is Pacific Rim's highlight. It's an adrenaline-pumping sequence; and the special effects are incredible. Now, the main difference btwn. 'Pacific Rim' & 'Transformers' is this: for Michael Bay, 'Transformers' is all about pyrotechnics, robot smackdowns, & mind-numbing effects. Aspects like characterization & plot are either annoying or underdeveloped. For Guillermo del Toro, the fights & effects are there, too (and even better!), but there's also a flair/panache that he adds to everything. And I appreciate that there is, at least, an attempt to feel an attachment for some of these major characters. i.e., the script pays attention to the friendship/budding romance btwn. Raleigh & Mako. The 2 of them are damaged souls searching for redemption.
Now, I can't say that 'Pacific Rim' is perfect. Just because there is a story & attention to characters, that doesn't mean that there's depth. Comic relief comes in the form of Charlie Day & Burn Gorman as rival scientists who are trying to help solve the Kaiju mystery & save the world. These 2 actors play their roles as spastic & over-the-top; sometimes it was hilarious, sometimes not. This subplot also allows for Ron Perlman (del Toro's Hellboy) to make a cameo. It's always awesome to see him up onscreen. But again, like the 2 scientists, he could have been scrapped altogether to allow an even smoother, more focused film, narratively.
As Raleigh, Charlie Hunnam makes for an appealing hero. Though he's been around for a while (Britain's Queer as Folk, Nicholas Nickleby, Cold Mountain, Sons of Anarchy), he's still a fresh face in the industry. And based on his physique & demeanor, many audience members who aren't already privy to his work on Sons of Anarchy may find themselves swooning. Rinku Kikuchi is pretty good as Mako. I prefer her Oscar-nominated work in Babel. But this is a very different type of movie. And she exhibits very nice chemistry with Hunnam. I really wish more material could have been written for them because what we got (barebones relationship) was good. And Idris Elba always has a commanding presence on the screen. His back story scenes with Kikuchi also lend great effect.
'Pacific Rim' makes for a fun Summer spectacle, with enormous robots pounding on enormous sea monsters, enormous sea monsters pounding on neon-lit cities, & the kind of anything-can-happen mayhem that multiplex theaters relish. I can't say that Pacific Rim's 125-minute running time offers anything revolutionary to the sci-fi action genre. It's also not as thoughtful or narratively gripping as del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth or as original as his Hellboy flicks. But that doesn't matter much because it's handled with expertise execution; providing a fun, visceral, popcorn munching experience. I had a carefree blast while watching it.
To counter this apocalyptic threat, the governments of the world join to fund the advanced "Jaeger" program - giant robots piloted by 2 brain-linked humans that can go head-to-head with the seemingly unstoppable Kaiju. For some time, the Jaeger have the upper hand on the situation & the pilots achieve rock star status. Howwwwever, over time, the Kaiju evolve, become more powerful, more dangerous, & the frequency of their appearances increase dramatically. All but 4 Jaeger robots are destroyed. The program is de-funded and, led by Marshal Pentecost (Idris Elba) ... they are forced to go underground & work as a 'resistance'.
At the height of this war, Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam, of Sons of Anarchy fame) an elite Jaeger pilot whose beloved brother was killed in combat, disappears into obscurity (building city walls to keep the Kaiju out). Now, with the Kaiju seemingly ready to dominate the world, Stacker finds him & pulls him back into immediate active duty. Raleigh's damaged Jaeger robot has been reconstructed & upgraded with the latest state-of-the-art fighting skills. And all he needs now is a new co-pilot - someone he finds in Pentecost's mysterious ward, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi, Oscar-nominated in 2006's Babel). Their 1st trial run is a complete disaster but, when a pair of Kaiju show up to attack Hong Kong & disable 3 of the remaining 4 Jaegers ... there's no option but to send Raleigh & Mako into action.
The Hong Kong battle that occurs 2/3 through the film is Pacific Rim's highlight. It's an adrenaline-pumping sequence; and the special effects are incredible. Now, the main difference btwn. 'Pacific Rim' & 'Transformers' is this: for Michael Bay, 'Transformers' is all about pyrotechnics, robot smackdowns, & mind-numbing effects. Aspects like characterization & plot are either annoying or underdeveloped. For Guillermo del Toro, the fights & effects are there, too (and even better!), but there's also a flair/panache that he adds to everything. And I appreciate that there is, at least, an attempt to feel an attachment for some of these major characters. i.e., the script pays attention to the friendship/budding romance btwn. Raleigh & Mako. The 2 of them are damaged souls searching for redemption.
Now, I can't say that 'Pacific Rim' is perfect. Just because there is a story & attention to characters, that doesn't mean that there's depth. Comic relief comes in the form of Charlie Day & Burn Gorman as rival scientists who are trying to help solve the Kaiju mystery & save the world. These 2 actors play their roles as spastic & over-the-top; sometimes it was hilarious, sometimes not. This subplot also allows for Ron Perlman (del Toro's Hellboy) to make a cameo. It's always awesome to see him up onscreen. But again, like the 2 scientists, he could have been scrapped altogether to allow an even smoother, more focused film, narratively.
As Raleigh, Charlie Hunnam makes for an appealing hero. Though he's been around for a while (Britain's Queer as Folk, Nicholas Nickleby, Cold Mountain, Sons of Anarchy), he's still a fresh face in the industry. And based on his physique & demeanor, many audience members who aren't already privy to his work on Sons of Anarchy may find themselves swooning. Rinku Kikuchi is pretty good as Mako. I prefer her Oscar-nominated work in Babel. But this is a very different type of movie. And she exhibits very nice chemistry with Hunnam. I really wish more material could have been written for them because what we got (barebones relationship) was good. And Idris Elba always has a commanding presence on the screen. His back story scenes with Kikuchi also lend great effect.
'Pacific Rim' makes for a fun Summer spectacle, with enormous robots pounding on enormous sea monsters, enormous sea monsters pounding on neon-lit cities, & the kind of anything-can-happen mayhem that multiplex theaters relish. I can't say that Pacific Rim's 125-minute running time offers anything revolutionary to the sci-fi action genre. It's also not as thoughtful or narratively gripping as del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth or as original as his Hellboy flicks. But that doesn't matter much because it's handled with expertise execution; providing a fun, visceral, popcorn munching experience. I had a carefree blast while watching it.