Review 183: "Pacific Rim"

"Go Big or Go Extinct"

Pure Awesome

      Pacific Rim really should be a movie that needs no introduction. I mean, Guillermo del Toro, giant robots, giant monsters. How can people possibly question how great this looks? It was easily my most anticipated film of the summer and maybe even of the year. It just looked so awesome. So, should we really be surprised that it may easily be the best movie of the year? Directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy) and written by him, as well as by Travis Beacham (Clash of the Titans), the film takes place on Earth after a rift to another world in opened under the Pacific Ocean. When giant alien monsters called Kaiju start to come out of them, the world teams up to construction on the Jaegers, giant robots meant to fight them off. Former Jaeger pilot Becket (Charlie Hunnam) is asked by Jaeger leader Marshall Pentecost (Idris Elba) to comes back and finish off the Kaiju, Becket agrees and works with rookie Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) to pilot Jaeger Gypsy Danger. All the while, a pair of scientists (Charlie Day and Burn Gorman) work with Kaiju black market dealer Hannibal Chau (Ron Perlman) to find out more about the Kaiju.

Certified badass.

Da Da Da Da Da DAAAAHHHH

      Pacific Rim is kinda review-proof. Not because of how it is, but because reviews don't really matter. People should see this movie solely because of what it is. It does, of course, help that the movie is completely fantastic. It's that kind of movie where if it isn't my favorite film this year, then that means we had a VERY good year in film. While, I would like to tell you that the best part of Pacific Rim is it's acting or script, I can't because, as good as those are, the best part of Pacific Rim is the sheer incredibleness of the action scenes. The viseralness of watching a Jaeger fight a Kaiju is truly terrific. There were more than one moment in which I was literally reduced to uncontrollable giddy laughing and complete speechlessness. Combined with some amazing special effects and one of the best kickass movie soundtracks ever, each fight scene was a awesome treat to see. I saw it with a friend and we agreed that the correct way to spend the rest of our day was to get some Pacific Rim action figures and recreate the entire movie. Trust me, your kids will love this film, as will your inner child.

The Actual Movie Parts

      And, thanks to del Toro's great direction, you can actually see most of that action. The film just looks fantastic and the were several shots that could just go right up into a museum. The acting is also very good. Hunnam and Kikuchi make for a great team, Charlie Day and Ron Perlman are a lot of fun and Gorman, who is annoying at first, grows on you by the end. But by far, it's Idris Elba who takes the show, proving that he's a legitimate actor and should definitely be the next James Bond (Hopefully). There are a few small problems though. Some story ideas do feel a little rushed and not very fleshed out and the pacing can get to be a bit too quick, but it really doesn't matter. When I was watching Pacific Rim up on the big screen, I felt like what my Dad says seeing the first Star Wars on the big screen was like. I only hope I'm given the opportunity to get as sick of this as I am of Star Wars. 

Just look at it!

The Verdict

      Realistically, I didn't need to write a review of Pacific Rim. I could have just shown you the trailer and that should have been enough. But, the fact still remains. Pacific Rim is a near masterpiece for Guillermo del Toro. It's an incredible spectacle to watch and I was in love every minute I watched it on the screen. When it was over, I felt like I could watch another movie again for a week because my brain just couldn't handle it. Right now I feel very confident in saying this. Pacific Rim is a near impossible to beat contender for the best film of 2013. Pacific Rim gets 6 stars out of 6.