Pacific Rim
Jul. 14th, 2013 10:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariPacific Rim was fucking awesome, and does pretty much live up to the hype. I have been eagerly waiting for this movie for months, and I was not disappointed. Some reviewers have commented that the plot and characters are a little thin, and while this is true, I don't consider it much of a flaw. Pacific Rim is in many ways like a classic 1930s movie musical where the plot and characters exist to set up fabulous dance numbers and make us care about them. (This is also true of some of the classic kung fu movies) Except here, it's all a framework for battles between kaiju and jaegers. And as such, the plot and characters work very well: they set up the battle sequences, give sufficient explanation for what's going on, provide motivation, and give us people to care about. The simplicity and straightforwardness is a plus because one always knows what's happening and why. The characters' decisions make sense.
The visuals and the action scenes are astounding. Del Toro really pulled out all the stops, and the result is terrific. The jaeger (giant mecha) are really well-designed - each has unique features and a distinctive look. The way they move and fight is extremely well-animated. The kaiju are huge and weird and frightening: for each one, there is something not quite right about they way they look or move. The battle sequences are terrific, with just the right amount of chaos and clarity. Each battle was different, too, so despite having a lot of battle sequences, Pacific Rim never felt repetitive. It's just a huge feast for the eyes, and very exciting, too.
Some other things I liked about the movie:
It's set a few years after the advent of the kaiju, so we're in the thick of it. Life on Earth has kind of adjusted to this new reality. There are kaiju attack shelters, pop culture references, etc. The jaeger and their command centers look weathered, used. The technology involved is understood and has even changed and advanced.
The lead female character, Mako Mori, is a fully realized character and not overly sexualized. She never appears scantily clad or in a sexed-up outfit. Even when she strips down to spar with Raleigh, she is in loose pants and a modest tank top. Plus, she's an interesting person with her own compelling back story and her own motivations. She's not there to provide motivation or tension for the male characters.
Best of all, Mako is not the token woman. There is at least one more female pilot shown, and others hinted at in the exposition. Plus, there are women shown among the crowd of support staff. And the final rousing speech is inclusive.
The comic relief bits are amusing but not stupid and still manage to add to the story and give us interesting characters.
ETA: Remember what it was like to be a kid and see one of the Star Wars movies for the first time, or one of the animes brought over to American TV, like Battle of the Planets or Robotech? Yeah, Pacific rim made me feel like that again.
The visuals and the action scenes are astounding. Del Toro really pulled out all the stops, and the result is terrific. The jaeger (giant mecha) are really well-designed - each has unique features and a distinctive look. The way they move and fight is extremely well-animated. The kaiju are huge and weird and frightening: for each one, there is something not quite right about they way they look or move. The battle sequences are terrific, with just the right amount of chaos and clarity. Each battle was different, too, so despite having a lot of battle sequences, Pacific Rim never felt repetitive. It's just a huge feast for the eyes, and very exciting, too.
Some other things I liked about the movie:
It's set a few years after the advent of the kaiju, so we're in the thick of it. Life on Earth has kind of adjusted to this new reality. There are kaiju attack shelters, pop culture references, etc. The jaeger and their command centers look weathered, used. The technology involved is understood and has even changed and advanced.
The lead female character, Mako Mori, is a fully realized character and not overly sexualized. She never appears scantily clad or in a sexed-up outfit. Even when she strips down to spar with Raleigh, she is in loose pants and a modest tank top. Plus, she's an interesting person with her own compelling back story and her own motivations. She's not there to provide motivation or tension for the male characters.
Best of all, Mako is not the token woman. There is at least one more female pilot shown, and others hinted at in the exposition. Plus, there are women shown among the crowd of support staff. And the final rousing speech is inclusive.
The comic relief bits are amusing but not stupid and still manage to add to the story and give us interesting characters.
ETA: Remember what it was like to be a kid and see one of the Star Wars movies for the first time, or one of the animes brought over to American TV, like Battle of the Planets or Robotech? Yeah, Pacific rim made me feel like that again.
