PACIFIC RIM

By Marcus Ayala

The idea of Guillermo del Toro making a movie about monsters versus machines was
enough to get me excited to see this movie and it delivers. Guillermo del Toro is one of
the best filmmakers working in the science fiction and fantasy genre today. His work on
Blade II, Hellboy I & II, and Pan’s Labyrinth is smart, funny, with tight action scenes and
credible drama. The creatures in his films are very creative and you can tell he gives
each one a distinct look while being part of his overall style. He brings all this to Pacific
Rim on an epic scale.

The film starts off by showing the arrival of the kaijus (monsters), the creation of the
jaegers (huge machines) to fight the kaijus, and the wars that followed over the years in
a montage sequence. I enjoyed the montage because it showed the attacks and battles
all over the earth. This film does something different with it’s story by jumping over the
origin story and beginning deep into wartime. Which is great because the story is about
the jaegers becoming obsolete and the world building huge walls to protect humanity.
The huge humanoid machines manned by two pilots are losing the fight to the kaijus. If
the montage doesn't get you into the story then the introduction to the hero Raleigh
Becket, a hotshot jaeger pilot should. Becket and his brother are defeated by a kaiju in
an intense thrilling fight that gives you a taste of things to come. After that scene, I was
hooked.

This may be a monster action film but this story has heart and that heart comes from
it’s characters. The three leads are Becket, Stacker Pentecost and Mako Mori.
Pentecost is the commanding officer of the jaegers who wants to save humanity and
Mori is the young woman who lost her family to the kaijus and wants to fight them.
These characters seem to genuinely care about each other and about saving the world.
You grow to care about these people and when they go into battle you want to see them
crush the monsters. The humor comes from the two scientists who study the kaijus,
one is played by the very funny Charlie Day. Charlie day is the more modern geek who
likes to take risks while the other scientist is all about the facts and the way these guys
clash is great stuff. These two annoy each other but look out for each other too. The
great Ron Perlman is funny too as a black marketeer selling Kaiju body parts.

The kaijus are mostly seen in the battle sequences in the ocean and they look like a
cross between a shark and a rhinoceros with glowing mouths. This design is fitting for
monsters who travel by water and crush cities. The kaijus arrive into this world by a
portal on the ocean floor. The best parts are when the jaegers and kaijus attack each
other head on with losses on both sides. One epic fight takes place in the city of Hong
Kong with a jaeger swinging a cargo ship like it was a baseball bat and a kaiju
spreading it’s wings and turning it into an aerial battle. Buildings are destroyed and
jaegers are thrown into the air like a rag doll. There are many battles but i enjoyed how
after each one the stakes would get higher because the kaijus would get smarter.
These fights are spectacular and Guillermo del Toro gives us a slick smart monster
movie without the camp.