"PACIFIC RIM" - Review

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Written by: Travis Beacham and Guillermo del Toro

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief language

Release Date: July 12^th, 2013

Review by: Sean Kayden

Pacific Rim is big, bold, and incredibly fun to watch. It has an inherently light and airy feel to it as opposed to other summer blockbusters that have been dark, brooding, and cynical. It takes place in the not-so-distant future when Earth is under attack by Kaiju, enormous sea monsters which have emerged from a portal on the ocean floor. To battle the monsters, humanity unites to create the Jaegers, which are gigantic humanoid mechas. Two pilots, whose minds are joined by a neural bridge, control each mecha. One pilot takes over the left hemisphere of the brain and the other pilot, the right hemisphere. The film focuses on Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) a has-been Jaeger pilot called out of retirement and teamed with rookie pilot Mako Mori in a last resort attempt to defeat the Kaiju. What truly works in Pacific Rim is that it’s a very contained film with one true purpose. Unlike big blockbusters this summer that feel like one part of a trilogy, Pacific Rim is completely stand alone and ultimately a truly satisfying experience. Pacific Rim’s non-super serious approach unlike other summer duds is very refreshing to say the least.

The film begins with everything actively going on with the Kaijus for quite some time. Earth was struck by numerous attacks until they banded together to create the mechas to fight off the monsters. While causalities are inevitable, the robots are still our greatest chance of survival. Charlie Hunnam’s character Becket is one of the best pilots of his time. What attributes to his super abilities is the fact he’s teamed up with his brother. Since the two siblings are minds are joined together to control to the robot, we know they have what is known as “drift compatibility.” This allow for each pilot to link up with the other’s mind. In this process, however, they get to see the other’s memories. When Becket is brought back several years after his botched mission by his commanding officer played by Idris Elba, he must reconnect with another pilot for the first time. However, the other pilot played by Rinko Kikuchi has her own demons to contend with. Now without going too much into a summary of the movie, not only is the film profoundly epic, but deeply human as well. It’s not just about robots and monsters going at it. Inside the robots are humans, just like you and me. And because of that, you feel the urge to cheer them on. The film, in my opinion, is more fascinating when we discover small things about each character. There’s not a whole lot of back-story, but you get a sense for each character as their memories are molded together when they link up with one another. There are a few scenes that are quite moving without being so heavy handed. Great human stories easily triumph pure action and chaos that’s displayed on screen just because it simply looks cool. While Pacific Rim doesn’t get delve too deep and occasionally touches upon cheesiness, it’s still wildly entertaining from start to finish.

Director Guillermo del Toro and co-writer Travis Beacham have created this massive motion picture that not only serves as a entertaining sci-fi action film, but a movie where the humans, no matter who they are, where they come from, unite to take down a common enemy. In a way, Pacific Rim is kind of uplifting and shows that with teamwork, a common goal, and a purpose to accomplish something seemingly out of reach, human beings can achieve great things. With the combination of huge action sequences, a richly told narrative, and the better-than-your-average robot plot, Pacific Rim is a clear winner for summer’s best blockbuster.

Grade: 4 out of 5
Published by Mountain Views News on July 20th, 2013 

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