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Rating: 4 out of 5
“Today, We Are Canceling the Apocalypse!!” – Marshal Stacker Pentecost
Growing up, Godzilla was a monster that I loved. Later on in life, I found out that he was a Kaiju. Godzilla isn’t in this film but is one of the most well-known Kaiju ever. I’m going to put it out there that Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim is what you expect and get. A film where you have giant ass humanoid mechas battling against giant ass Kaiju monsters that have ravaged the world. This movie is damn near perfect because you don’t need a storyline. You just need great special effects, a few iconic quotes, and creatures whipping each other asses. The only thing missing from this film was people chilling and drinking beer while having a stack of buffalo hot wings in front of them.
Okay, let’s get in our mech, and let me tell you what this film is about. Directed by the great Guillermo del Toro with the screenplay written by Travis Beacham and del Toro from a story by Beacham, it tells the story of when Kaiju shows up and humanity’s battle against them. In the near future, giant ass alien beasts called Kaijus burst through a portal in a crevasse beneath the Pacific Ocean and proclaim war against the Earth. Millions are killed in the war, with humanity on the brink. When the world nations decided to put their petty differences aside and join forces, they produced massive humanoid machines called Jaegers that were controlled simultaneously by two pilots. The pilots’ minds are linked in a neural link to help ease the mental strain. Through countless battles, the Jaegars manage to push back and stop the Kaiju attacks, but as new Kaiju roll up, they become adapted to the Jaeger’s fighting style. What happens? Well, Earth is like we need to come up with something new and build a wall. Yup, a wall that doesn’t have any electricity or stuff like that. A plain ass wall.
Stacker Pentecost (Elba), a hero and leading commander of the Jaeger forces, believes that the Kaiju threat is far from over and decides that the best way to end the war is to have a nuclear warhead detonate in the portal and destroy it. While, in cold ass Alaska, brothers Raleigh (Hunnam) and Yancy Becket (Klattenhoff) are deployed in their Jaeger to fight a new kaiju called Knifehead. The battle is close until Yancy is killed. Raleigh manages to kill the Kaiju but decides to abandon all fighting. Well, five years later, Pentecost finds Raleigh working on the anti-kaiju wall and convinces him to return and rejoin the Jaegar fleet for one last go and to destroy the portal. Raleigh is reluctant until he is partnered with the beautiful Mako Mori (Kikuchi). As humanity prepares, larger and fiercer Kaiju start appearing and slowly destroy humanity’s best warriors.
Let’s be real here, the only reason you will come close to watching this film is for the special effects and the fights between the Jaegers and Kaiju. First, let’s go over the special effects. Guillermo looked to his left and was like let’s make some of the most insane-looking Kaiju. Let’s make them fearsome-looking. I love how each of the beasts looks different and has different abilities. Guillermo looked to his right and was like we need some awesome-looking mechas that will whip ass and maybe take names. He sure did deliver. Guillermo is a revolutionary mind who always makes the wildest imagery that draws you in.
I have held off long enough, but here we go! Let’s talk about the fights. Guillermo went all out and was like, let’s make the most insane fights. You have skyscrapers that are destroyed and monsters ripping the arms and heads off of the mechas. You have swords, punches, kicks, and everything you can think of and love in a fighting film. What I love about the fighting is that no Jaegar pilots besides two live. That means almost everyone dies a horrific death, but hey, this is why you fight monsters.
For the other stuff, the story was okay. I enjoyed it because it was simple and to the point. Can’t mess up a story where monsters come, and humanity has to fight back. Sometimes, the simplest story is the best. No need to make it complicated. I hate when monster films try to explain everything that is going on. In this one, it was monsters come, humans fight, humans lose some hope, humans get an inspiring speech, and then humans blow up a portal. Boom! Straight and to the point.
For the acting, everyone played their part and didn’t try to go overboard. They stuck in their lane, and it worked. First, Charlie Hunnam as Raleigh Becket was cool. He played the main character, who had a horrible past as his brother died on duty with him during a mission. At first, he seemed pretty cocky, and then he seemed to become a better leader. Then there is Rinko Kikuchi as Mako Mori. She is the sweet one who wants to prove herself to her adoptive father but also has some issues going on with wanting to prove herself. I liked Kikuchi in this role as she was a force to be reckoned with rather than a damsel in distress who constantly cried.
Some of the side actors who brought comedy to this film were Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, and Ron Perlman. The interactions between Day and Gorman were hilarious in this film. In a movie like this, you need a few people to bring out the comedic aspects. What can I say about Perlman? The man has some of the best range. He is funny as the black marketeer who twirls around his knife and is willing to sell anything. He is the best.
The true star of this film is my main man, Idris Elba, as Marshal Stacker Pentecost. Elba just has a presence about him in this film. I don’t think he smiled once and was completely serious. Dude played no games in this film, and I was all about it. Then, that final speech he made was icing on the cake. You damn right we are canceling the apocalypse!
Pacific Rim is a great Guillermo del Toro film. It is not complicated and hits all the right notes. You get giant ass mechas and monsters fighting in the means streets or oceans. The acting is okay, but it works for this film. The visual effects are spot on. Watch this film because it is that good.
BONUS CLIP!!!
