Pacific Rim Is a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Thrill Ride

Director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) has always had a fascination with fantasy and science fiction stories populated with unusual, colorful characters amid macabre settings.  Originally set to direct The Hobbit films, he has, instead, switched gears and created a new film populated with mega monsters and super robotic warriors in an exciting, action spectacle, Pacific Rim.  What sets this apart from most apocalyptic battles is its well developed characters and relationships.  While its subject matter may not be for all tastes, it should satisfy most action and comic fans to the hilt.

Set in the not too distant future, a growing threat emerges from an ocean breach in the form of enormous monsters (think Godzilla types) called Kaijus which ravage world cities.  To combat these powerful creatures, world leaders construct giant war machines dubbed Jaegers which are controlled from within by a set of mind linked co-pilots.  But the threat increases, and the creatures, who have remarkable, adaptive powers, duel with an ever dwindling number of outmatched Jaegers.  While mentally linked, the copilots share each other’s thoughts and memories.  Ace pilot Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) has traumatic memories of loss from an earlier battle and must learn to overcome this while the prospect of a new co-pilot in the form of Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) brings her own horrible past.  As relationships are revealed and challenged, the monstrous Kaijus must be met in a last stand not only on land but at its mysterious source beneath the sea.

While there is undeniable sexual tension between Becket and Mori, the filmmakers do not settle for clichéd romantic scenes, which a nice change of pace. The film deals primarily with facing and conquering one’s own demons. Themes of loyalty, duty and sacrifice crop up. There are super mind melds and a nice dash of samurai mentality in the training and battle scenes, and there are elements of other action films like The Matrix and Top Gun especially towards the end.  

These Jaegers have some awesome, cool weaponry, and the high tech hardware is detailed and impressive yet well used and realistic.  Movies such as The Transformers and the recent super hero films have raised the stakes of massive battle sequences in an urban setting, but Pacific Rim enlarges the playing field even more. And these monsters have tricks up their sleeve that would make even Godzilla envious.  Although the scale of the film is breathtaking, del Toro always keeps things grounded in reality and honest emotions. These characters have a camaraderie that evolves throughout the storyline.  Just like Peter Jackson in The Lord of the Rings films, del Toro demonstrates an impressive ability to marshal large set pieces while throwing in minute details or intimate moments. These things add to the texture of the story and its players; you begin to care for them.

Idris Elba is fast becoming the actor of choice (from his start on TV’s The Wire through the recent Prometheus).  His role as the leader of the Jaegers, is critical to the storyline, and he even gets to have his own Independence Day/Henry V rallying speech. Charlie Day and Burn Gorman are a riot as rival scientists who bicker while trying to find solutions to the crises.  Long time del Toro repertory stalwart Ron Perlman has an amusing supporting role as a black marketeer.

Production credits are outstanding on all facets.  Special effects are through the roof, and the score by Ramin Djawadi is appropriately heroic and pulsating.  Do stay for the initial end credits for an amusing bonus scene.

If this is not your cup of tea, it is best avoided.  It is true there are perhaps too many climactic battles of these titans  (Del Toro even displays a hint of shoe fetish).  Yet for those who are game, it is a fun ride and a cut above typical sci-fi fare.  For fans and geeks, it is nirvana.

If you’re going to make a film about giant war machines fighting larger-than-life evil to save the earth and instill the requisite human element, this is a textbook example of how to do it right.  Imagine that: a sci-fi blockbuster that moves you!  Boy, they are going to sell a lot of toys with this one!

*** of **** stars (add ½* for geeks and fans)