Geekscape Movie Reviews: ‘Pacific Rim’
Pacific Rim could go either way for viewers, depending on the person’s movie-persona. So while I really enjoyed the film, I could also see why some people absolutely loathed the thing.
If you enjoy a movie with an interesting and dynamic plot, good acting and an exciting storyline (which I always enjoy) Pacific Rim was well worth purchasing. The special effects were awesome, and I can only imagine how they would have looked in theaters (if I’d only made it to see this film). The creatures were so realistic on the Blu-Ray that I have to assume they looked breathtaking on the big screen. The robots were completely believable as well, and overall, the substantial special effects made this movie even better.
If, however, you wanted to see an action-packed fight-filled adventure, then sure, there were some slower moments. The film often focused on the human element in a situation involving alien attack, in much the same way The Walking Dead does so in a zombie apocalypse.
The main character, Raleigh Becket, played by Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), is part of a pair of brothers who run one of the giant robots. He must overcome his brother’s death after an alien attack, and does so by joining the crews that are building giant walls around cities for protection. Eventually, his old boss wants him back in the robot (called Jaeger) program, and of course he meets a possible romantic interest, played by Rinko Kikuchi (The Brothers Bloom); she wants to pilot a Jaeget to take vengeance for her parents’ death.
Meanwhile, a side story is that of the company’s two scientists, played by Rick Moranis Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Burn Gorman (Torchwood, The Dark Knight Rises), an odd-couple pairing who bring some light-hearted comedy into the story. Gorman’s character is focused on the math side of things, and Day’s is more about the aliens, and the two give the storyline a bit of much-needed humor.
My favourite scene was the almost-expected cameo (considering this is a Guillermo del Toro film) by Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Alien Resurrection) as the one-eyed illegal alien parts dealer Hannibal Chow.
As a fan of Guillermo Del Toro’s films, I didn’t really see his personal touch on the much as much as I expected to. I wanted more of a Pan’s Labyrinth or even a Hellboy feel, but it came up a bit short in that area.
Overall, I really did enjoy the film, and give it 3/5 stars. Pacific Rim is available now on Amazon.
Let us know what you thought of the film. Did you love it, hate it, or not really care either way?
