Movie Review - Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim (2013)

Starring Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, and Clifton Collins, Jr. 

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

I'm not sure anyone is more surprised than me that Pacific Rim works.  In fact, it's the movie 2014's Godzilla wishes it could've been.  Director and co-screenwriter Guillermo del Toro injects a lot of fun into his science fiction piece that make this big action pic move at a fairly rapid clip.  With some nice visual set pieces and an unique premise, Pacific Rim is a refreshing change of pace from typical summer blockbusters.

The year is 2020.  For the past seven years, the US and the world have been battling the Kaiju -- an ever-evolving fleet of gigantic monsters who rise up occasionally from a rift in a rim under the Pacific Ocean.  In order to counter the Kaiju, the world banded together and created the Jaeger -- huge robots that are used as hunters and a defense against the havoc the Kaiju wreak on the world.  While successful initially, the Kaiju have adapted to the defense mechanisms of the Jaeger and this savior of mankind is now becoming obsolete.  The Earth's governments declare the Jaeger project to be finished and start about building giant walls around the world's countries where the land meets the sea.  When these walls fail, the Jaeger are pulled out of retirement for one last attempt at defeating the ever-changing Kaiju.

The concept above is rather unique in and of itself, but del Toro adds even more interesting aspects to the mix in the way that the Jaeger are controlled.  Because of their gigantic size, two "pilots" are needed to control a Jaeger from the inside.  These two pilots must essentially "mind meld" in order to get in sync with one another so that the Jaeger's motions are seamless.  Adding to that, the ever-evolving Kaiju allow the monsters to be presented in similar, yet very different ways each time we encounter the beasts.  These unique twists provide just enough differences that make Pacific Rim stand out from something similar like a Godzilla movie.

While not without its faults -- the second to last battle sequence is a big payoff and when you realize there's still another one to come, you wonder why del Toro set up the film like he did; Charlie Day (while funny) plays a scientist in such a wacky way that you feel like you're watching a different movie every time his character is on screen -- Pacific Rim is a winner.  Guillermo del Toro has an eye for action sequences and has moments where heart prevails.  While its overarching story doesn't reinvent the wheel, the initial premise is singular enough that it makes us feel like we're watching something fresh.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+