I really don't know where to start with this review. You may or may not have heard of a little movie that came out this weekend by the name of Pacific Rim. I didn't see any previews for it until last weekend, but I heard there was quite the marketing blitz to get trailers in front of the masses. I didn't need a trailer to know I wanted to see it. It's a movie directed by Guillermo del Toro, and it falls into the science fiction category.*
Unfortunately, they're saying it's going to tank. There really weren't that many butts in the seats in the showing we attended, and they're only showing it on one screen at my favorite theater.** Granted, it is a Sunday night. We also saw it in 3D, which was not recommended on when I went looking for opinions. Mark really wanted to see it in 3D though, so those were the tickets I purchased. I must say, it was the right move. Watching giant robots pound monsters with a bit of 3D thrown in was awesome.
Let's talk a bit more about what everyone is expecting. I actually read an article a week or two ago predicting that this film would tank and help bring down the idea of the summer blockbuster. After the showing the Lone Ranger made, this movie flopping could supposedly cause major repercussions in the movie industry and a complete re-evaluation of how they make movies. I'm sorry, but I just don't buy that. Studios will keep making big tent-pole movies because they will keep making money. Yes, you lose some (the Lone Ranger), but you also win some (the Avengers). That being said, Pacific Rim may not do well at all, which is a shame.
Pacific Rim is the most fun I've had at the movies all year. I spent two hours watching robots and monsters pound on each other, and it was fun. It was exciting. There were multiple times that Mark or I would just turn to the other and say "sploosh".*** I don't know the last time I had that much fun at the movies. It made me really want to be close enough to my friend Rick and my brother Ryan because that is the kind of movie I would love seeing with them. Heck, if they would fly or drive down to Myrtle Beach, I would pay to take them. (Seriously, guys.) I would see Pacific Rim in the theater a second time; I enjoyed it that much.
Now, I am a realist. Pacific Rim is by no means a perfect movie. I saw quite a few developments coming way before they were introduced, which could lead some to say that it was predictable. Additionally, there is some very cheesy dialogue, and Charlie Hunnam doesn't always work for me.**** Fortunately, none of that mattered. Del Toro did such an amazing job with the rest of the film that I just didn't care.*****
One of the most important components of a film like this is the special effects. If they don't work, a movie like this falls apart. I'm happy to report that they got it right in Pacific Rim. I did have have a flashback moment to Cloverfield at one point due to deisgn, but the CGI is actually pretty amazing. Those giant CGI robots felt real. They had the right movements; you felt that they had mass. That's not an easy illusion to achieve, but Pacific Rim did it. If you've read any of my other reviews, you probably realize that I'm pretty harsh on CGI. Pacific Rim did it right though, and that makes me very happy. I might even be giddy....as giddy as a schoolboy.
Of course, my absolute love for this movie could come from my own weird cross section of interests. Mark and I might have been the perfect audience for this film. We both have a healthy love of anime. What's funny is that I'm not actually a fan of giant mech anime. The only one I ever really liked was Neon Genesis Evangelion.****** Mark was a fan of the old Godzilla movies. We liked the things that del Toro appreciated, and that may be why we loved the movie.
You should go see Pacific Rim in the theaters. A movie about giant robots and giant monsters clashing in battle should be seen on the big screen. I would even recommend the 3D. It didn't make the movie too dark to follow, and there were a few scenes where it made me appreciate the size of the jaegers. This is a fun movie. I was hooked by the first fight. Go in expecting big, dumb fun, and it should work out just fine for you.*******
*I didn't used to be very big into sci-fi. I enjoyed it just fine, but I find myself being more and more interested in sci-fi properties. I read Ender's Game and am stoked for the movie. I squeed the first time I saw a trailer for it.
**I know a lot of you think that the theater in the Market Common area is the best, but you're wrong. The one in the mall is far superior. With the refillable buckets and cups, great employees, and excellent customer service, I feel sorry for your if you choose an alternate theater.
***You should be watching Archer if you don't know what that means.
****Of course, I only had a hard time with him when it was cheesy lines he was reciting. It may not have been him; it may have been more of that dialogue issue.
*****When Mark told me that Ron Pearlman was chewing the scenery, I struck him down. No one talks about Ron Perlman that way.
******To all of the people who are hating on this movie because it is being touted as an original work when it bears resemblance to Neon Genesis Evangelion, just knock it off. Yes, it has similarities, which made me giddy to see. I don't knock it because of those elements; it just made me appreciate it all the more. It's the first time I've ever seen something in live action that reminded me of an anime in a good way. It's an original property, even if there are similar elements. I respect your opinion, but I believe you might be missing the point.
*******Also, Idris Elba.
