Movie Review : Pacific Rim

In the near future, humanity is under assault by the Kaijus: colossal alien beasts who rise from an interdimensional portal on the Pacific floor to devastate human cities. To combat them, humanity builds the Jaegers: equally colossal humanoid war machines, each manned by two pilots whose brains are linked to share the overwhelming mental load of piloting the sophisticated machines. Though the Jaegers are effective, the Kaiju attacks grow more frequent and powerful. Humanity’s governments discontinue the Jaeger project and resort to building massive coastal walls to protect humanity from the Kaijus. The four remaining Jaegers are redeployed to Hong Kong to defend the unfortified coastline until the wall is completed. Stacker Pentecost (Elba), commander of the Jaeger forces, devises a plan to end the war by using a nuclear warhead to destroy the portal.

Pentecost approaches retired pilot Raleigh Becket (Hunnam) and convinces him to return and pilot Gipsy Danger, the Jaeger he and his brother Yancy once piloted. During a mission, Yancy was killed by a Kaiju while connected to his brother, traumatizing Raleigh. Arriving at Hong Kong, Raleigh is paired with potential co-pilots to find one with a strong connection, as the stronger the connection, the better their performance in battle. Sensing a strong connection, Raleigh demands to be partnered with Mako Mori (Kikuchi). Pentecost opposes, as Mako is his adoptive daughter, but he eventually relents. The duo’s initial test run nearly ends in disaster when Mako gets caught up in a childhood memory of a Kaiju attack; she inadvertently activates and nearly discharges Gipsy Danger’s weapons while in the hangar. Shortly thereafter, the remaining Jaegers are tasked with fending off a double Kaiju attack in Hong Kong. The defense goes badly, with the Kaijus destroying two Jaegers. Pentecost sends Raleigh and Mako to mount a last stand with Gipsy Danger.

Meanwhile, Newton Geiszler (Day)—a scientist studying the Kaijus—assembles a machine allowing him to establish a mental link with a Kaiju brain fragment. The experience nearly kills him, but he discovers the Kaijus are not wild beasts, but engineered weapons fighting at the behest of a race of alien conquerors. With Pentecost’s approval, he seeks out Hannibal Chau (Perlman), a major figure in the trafficking of Kaiju parts, in an attempt to procure an intact Kaiju brain to repeat the experiment. Chau deduces that the Kaijus are searching Hong Kong for Geiszler, whose actions have attracted their attention. After Gipsy Danger kills both Kaijus, Chau and his team move in to harvest parts. Geiszler realizes one of the Kaijus is pregnant. The newborn bursts from its mother and swallows Chau before dying. Geiszler and his partner Hermann Gottlieb (Gorman) merge with the baby Kaiju’s intact brain and learn the portal will only open for a Kaiju.

The two remaining Jaegers assemble to execute their plan to destroy the portal with a nuclear weapon. Pentecost co-pilots the Jaeger carrying the warhead, but is forced to detonate it early, sacrificing himself to destroy the powerful Kaijus guarding the portal. Raleigh and Mako seize another Kaiju with Gipsy Danger and use it to enter the portal. Running out of oxygen, Raleigh ejects Mako, initiates the nuclear reactor’s overload sequence, then ejects himself. Gipsy Danger’s nuclear core detonates, laying waste to the alien conquerors and destroying the portal. Mako and Raleigh’s escape pods surface safely in the Pacific, and the duo embrace as rescue helicopters arrive.

In a post-credits scene, Chau—revealed to have survived—cuts his way out of the newborn Kaiju’s stomach.

Yes, i’m one of the slowpoke who have only just watched Pacific Rim today. Seriously, before i talk more, i just wanna say PACIFIC RIM IS MADLY AWESOME! WHY?

First of all, the few minutes of intro already hooked on me. I know everything gonna be awesome. Yes, its a story that focus on the battle but yet mix up with some romance, fatherly love and comedy essence in it. The whole storyline doesn’t go beyond ridiculous too.

Second, the robots. OMAIGOODNESS..At the first glance it reminds me of Real Steel though. But you know. Argh its still unique in its own way. I also love the idea how they connect both pilots brain in order to function the robot. The modeling. Love the detail. JUST LOVE!

Third, the VFX. Nothing much to complain about, its STUNNING! BIG thumbs up to Industrial Light & Magic that created the whole vfx.

Fourth, the cast..You know we don’t see big names like Tom Cruise, Tony Stark, Angelina Jolie etc. But this time the casts did really well. Idris Elba as the Marshal. Charlie Hunnam as Raleigh and most importantly Rinko Kikuchi as Mako that sounds soooo new to me. But the chemistry between them are soo good! I totally love Mako’s role! Not to forget all the supporting roles like Chau, Newton etc. I think they did a superb job too..I’m also loving Mana Ashida as the young Mako. She’s way too adorable and she delivered her expression so well in the young Mako scene!

Fifth, the SFX. WOWOW! The soundtrack..Goodness.

Sixth, environment plays a super important part in a movie too. No offense, but for an example, Man Of Steel. Sorry but the environment is just suck balls. For this, i think its so amazing. Love the interior of Jaeger, the controlling room, the ocean, the destructed city, and Hong Kong! Damn in love with the saturated color palette set for Hong Kong.

I was like what the heck am i watching.

Rating: 10/10 (i don’t mind giving more than 10)

This is what a movie should be like. To blow people’s mind =)

I feel the 2 hours+ worth my time so much. No single boredom or draggy part that makes me think can be removed from the movie.

Just search on Youtube for the behind-the-scene video and you will even get amazed on how this movie is done.

Thumbs up once again to the whole team that created Pacific Rim.