Movie Review: Pacific Rim

Movie Review: Pacific Rim (2013)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman
Plot: The short of it is this: it’s about giant robots vs giant monsters. When monsters start attacking humanity, emanating from a dimensional rift located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, the only course of action to save the world is to pilot giant robots to battle them off. However, one human can’t control a giant robot by themselves, so they have to partner with someone “compatible” through a shared mental connection called “The Drift.”

Enter Raleigh Becket (Hunnam), one of the best pilots, whose brother is killed while they are connected in The Drift. After retiring from the program, humans start losing the battle and our giant robot army dwindles to a handful of machines. As a last ditch effort, Stacker Pentecost (Elba), leader of the giant robot program, decides to have one last go at attacking the rift directly and brings Raleigh out from retirement. What follows is a series of wrestling matches – some of the best action scenes you’ve seen since playing with your toys when you were a little kid (and I mean that in a good way) – between giant robots and giant monsters. And it’s awesome!

Ignore the plot. Ignore the flat acting from most of the cast. Ignore the fact that none of the science makes any sense. This is big budget giant robots vs giant monsters. It’s the kind of fantasy every kid has had at some time or another growing up and playing with toys. That’s essentially what this movie is – Guillermo Del Toro playing with toys. And you’re watching. And loving every second of it.

Hell, even Beth loved this movie – and it didn’t even register on her radar before we got into the theater to see it.

The music is great, the action is awesome, the visuals are pretty, and the plot – well, fast forward through the plot. Just kick back and watch the battle unfold.