By Jeremy Hannaford (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: July 17, 2013
In Pacific Rim’s opening moments, we are given a short lesson in localization. Jaeger is the German word for “hunter” while kaiju is the Japanese word that translates into “strange monster” – the names for the two massive forces colliding in Pacific Rim. This is probably the only part of the film that isn’t filled with something hugely exciting. Pacific Rim continues to show that Guillermo del Toro can combine action, emotion and humour all into one in this super-sized mech warrior battle royale.
Pacific Rim isn’t just about massive mechs going up against Godzilla-like creatures. It’s about humans and robots melding together to fight as one. This element is called the Drift. The Jaegers are too powerful to be controlled by one single human, so two pilots are joined in mind to control a Jaeger in the Drift. This aspect did look silly in the trailers but it actually provides a very thought-provoking part to the film. For a good Jaeger team to function, they must be sound not only physically but also mentally. The joining of the minds not only links them to the mech but lets them delve into each other’s memories and thoughts.
Del Toro basically slaps Michael Bay in the face with Pacific Rim, as he shows that battles about robots aren’t supposed to be funny or short-lived. They are hard, long, brutal and terrifying. In the opening battle scene, I found myself shuddering in the intensity of the battle and at the cry of the massive Kaiju monster. Unlike the messy direction of Bay’s Transformer films, Del Toro keeps the action centred on what is important. He even at moments adds small bits of humour – but only rarely so as not to take away from the intensity of the battle. The crisp visuals of the film help solidify these epic fight scenes. When you see a Jaeger swinging a cargo ship at a Kaiju, you can’t help but drop your jaw.
Pacific Rim, however, does have some moments similar to that of Independence Day. There are several cheesy speeches and some scenarios presented even more ridiculous than giant fighting robots. One recurring issue is the change in the film’s emotional pacing. Being a del Toro film, there are bound to be some upsetting scenes. And they hit really hard. But just after the audience has felt any emotional impact, the film seems to forget what it just did and switches to a different tone. This odd change of pace does affect the reality the characters are facing. Pacific Rim offers a fine cast, but the film doesn’t give most of them enough time to develop. Many characters are simple types and rarely deviate.
But walking into this movie, these are issues that you should expect for the most part. You are watching giant robots fight monsters, after all. It follows a straightforward story with a clear objective in mind. It keeps the film going while trying to be as badass as possible. While Pacific Rim exceeds the two-hour mark, it doesn’t feel like del Toro leaves in any unnecessary content. While it isn’t his best film, it is probably one of his most interesting in terms of scale. It doesn’t beat the creativity of Hellboy or the emotional fortitude of Pan’s Labyrinth but it nearly reaches them. In any case, it is most definitely the most entertaining del Toro experience to date.
