Pacific Rim

Matt Golden 6/23/2021 3:57:21PM 8.4

When monstrous, building-sized creatures (dubbed "kaiju") hell-bent on destruction begin pouring out of an extra-dimensional fissure at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, humanity bands together to build titanic mechas called jaegers, each controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are linked through a neural bond called "The Drift." As the kaiju get stronger and the signs point to an all-out flood of the beasts, the fate of humanity looks bleak, and the surviving jaegers are brought together for one last-ditch attempt at saving the world. After an agonizingly long five-year wait, filled with some heartbreaking starts and stops (like the almost-weres of The Hobbit and At the Mountains of Madness), Guillermo del Toro has finally returned with his biggest budget and story yet. The Mexican master of fantasy returns to the toybox of his youth, drawing from the kaiju films of old (Godzilla, Gamera, Mothra, and the like) and anime to create the modern-day monster movie we didn't even know we wanted. I am a genre man through and through, and del Toro's films are filled with both the intelligence of the best of science fiction, fantasy, and horror and a flawlessly-rendered vision unique to him. His innate knowledge of what makes those outlandish stories truly matter to us is the backbone of his work as a writer and director, and his visual style is one that invokes true wonder. It's that wonder, that childlike glee that makes Pacific Rim work so well, and well it does work. This is a brawny, massive film made by a true artist and auteur at the top of his game, but while the technicals of this film could have been mounted by any number of working directors, the magic of Guillermo del Toro is that he infuses every film with himself. His love of the material, whatever it may be, shines brightly through every frame. It is this complete sincerity that makes his films such a joy to experience, and even when there are 250-foot behemoths slugging it out on the screen, there's not a trace of the disastrous irony or cynicism so readily supplied by other blockbusters anywhere to be found. The cast gamely comes to play, with Idris Elba (TV’s Luther) as Stacker Pentecost (one of my favorite character names of all time) as the stoic leader of the jaeger program, Charlie Hunnam (TV’s Sons of Anarchy) as former pilot Raleigh Becket, who suffered a tragic loss and has to be convinced to return to jaeger service, and Oscar-nominated Rinko Kinkuchi (Babel) as Mako Mori, another life touched by the kaiju and ready to serve up some righteous fury. If these sound like tried-and-true archetypes, it’s because they are. This is a grand, epic war film on a bigger scale than anything ever attempted before in that genre, and one of the strokes of genius from del Toro and original writer Travis Beacham is that we instantly establish and identify with the characters onscreen. There are so many ideas flying around (monsters, mechas, neural bonding, kaiju culture, and many, many more) that the broadly-drawn characters serve as a perfect anchor for the audience, immediately relatable in their inherent humanity. It seems that the mission statment of this movie was, in a word, “texture.” Del Toro delivered a visual feast unlike any other big spectacle films, with his insistence on it not looking like a “glossy car commercial.” Instead, every frame is filled with rain, snow, scuffs, smoke, debris, and other visual elements that reflect the weight and dimension of these cyclopean combatants. Unlike the ultra-glossy (and emotionally irrelevant) Transformers films, or virtually any other modern big-budget actioner, this universe feels dirty, grungy, and lived-in, like the original Star Wars trilogy. In fact, dubbing a film “this generation’s Star Wars” has been overused to the point of robbing the phrase of all meaning. But Pacific Rim feels just like that. It invokes those most elusive of emotions in the modern studio film: wonder, awe, and sheer enjoyment. Do you remember the awe you felt upon seeing a Star Destroyer creep onto the screen? Discovering a brachiosaurus on Isla Nublar? Laying eyes on the verdant fields of Middle Earth? This film has that. No one builds worlds like del Toro, and here he is, the master, inviting you to play in his sandbox with him. Grab your favorite action figure and hop in.

misubisu 6/24/2026 8:36:14AM 8.4

Score: 9/10 A Del Toro Masterclass in Spectacle and Heart Pacific Rim is a towering achievement in pure, unapologetic cinematic joy. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, this is not just a monster movie it's a love letter to the kaiju and mecha genres that treats its source material with genuine reverence while elevating it through del Toro's singular visual imagination. It is very entertaining from start to finish, a film that understands exactly what it is and executes that vision with flawless precision. The Fighting: Spectacular and Grounded The battles between the Kaiju and the Jaegers are the film's undeniable centrepiece. Del Toro and his team ensure that these colossal clashes carry immense weight and scale. Every punch, every impact, every step of these towering behemoths feels tangible and destructive. The Hong Kong sequence, in particular, is a masterpiece of escalating action a 20-minute set piece that moves from harbour to city to sky without ever losing its grip on the audience. The Jaegers feel like real machines, the Kaiju feel like real threats, and the chaos of their collision is captured with a clarity that modern blockbusters often lack. It is very realistic in the sense that you never question the physics of the world del Toro has built. The weight, the scale, the destruction it all feels earned. The Cast: A Perfect Ensemble The casting is impeccable across the board. Charlie Hunnam delivers a solid, grounded performance as Raleigh Becket, the reluctant hero pulled back into the fray. The true scene-stealers, however, are the supporting players: Ron Perlman as Hannibal Chau: Perlman plays a great baddie, embodying the black-market Kaiju dealer with a gleeful, unapologetic amorality. His character is a pure hedonist, a war profiteer with no allegiance to anyone but himself and his insatiable appetites. He is utterly ruthless, unpredictable, and a joy to watch. Perlman's natural charisma and del Toro's flair for larger-than-life characterisation make Chau unforgettable. Charlie Day and Burn Gorman: The banter between Day's Dr. Newton Geiszler and Gorman's Gottlieb is brilliant. They play rival scientists one biological, one mathematical whose constant, clashing bickering provides the film's comedic heart. Their friction is hilarious, their chemistry is palpable, and their arc builds to a surprisingly pivotal moment in the climax. Idris Elba as Stacker Pentecost: Elba brings the necessary gravitas, delivering speeches that rally both the troops and the audience. He is, as always, a commanding presence. Why It's a 9 (Not a 10) If there is a minor deduction, it is that the film's emotional core the relationship between Hunnam's Raleigh and Rinko Kikuchi's Mako doesn't quite reach the same heights as the spectacle surrounding it. The film's structure is formulaic, and its character arcs are broad strokes rather than deep studies. But these are quibbles for a film that delivers so much on its core promise: giants fighting giants with heart, humour, and immense visual flair. The Verdict Pacific Rim is a triumph. It is a film that celebrates the joy of cinema, crafted by a director who understands that even the silliest concepts can become art when executed with conviction and respect. Del Toro's direction, the phenomenal visual effects, and a cast that knows exactly what kind of movie they're in make for a blockbuster of pure, unadulterated entertainment. Watch if: You love spectacle, del Toro's visual genius, or simply want to watch giant robots punch giant monsters in a battle for the fate of the planet. Skip if: You require nuanced character studies or non-formulaic plots. This is a film that excels at being precisely what it promises to be.

GeekMasher 6/23/2021 3:57:21PM 8.4

First I want to say I liked this movie. I was surprised, I've been hearing bad reviews but I can't see big problem. The only issues was with the story. Apart from that the graphics where very good. The actors where okay (no major actors) and the baddies (no spoilers) where well thought out and graphically impressive (same for the robots). All in all a good movie.