Pacific Rim

Of all the summer movies, at first glimpse, this I thought was the weakest. I mean at the first glimpse or teasers, I don't know it's just a cliche of anime and they just made up like into Mecha versus Godzilla... I was not impressed.. But like Man of Steel, as more trailers coming in and I noticed that the effects were not only impressive but quite fit to the story. 

After almost 2 and a half hours of absolute sheer gigantic fighting between robots and machine, I love this film. I don't care about what others say, I just love the film. Not only a bit of originality, but how it was presented, second best this summer. 

A lot of skeptics like me especially in my office that have the same first impression but after they watched it, I mean they changed sides. Funny isn't it? Ironic may sounds but yeah sometimes you just need to try the film. That was said in Dredd last year, in the end, one of the best films last year. 

Despite second best, well there were flaws. First, screenplay was kinda weak, I mean for that long running time, I hope they inserted some back story, especially with the general, or with Mako or even the pilots, or how aobut the other jaegars who fought first.. The montage for the first scenes were good but I wanted more of that. Dialogue kinda lacking except for the general, and I thought Mako's dialogue were lip sync or dubbed but as the movie goes on, it was not. Dialogue was simple, except when fighting and yeah just simple. Confusing parts, such as why that monster chasing the doctor did not really eat or kill him. Well, another part as much the sword came very handy, I hope they place that way before in the end. Geez.. I love Ron Perlman especially his role, but to think of it, his character seems to be not needed in the film, especially he did not do anything until the end. 

Of all the countries who have the last Jaegars, why Japan is not there? At least they should have better looking Jaegars. Lastly, well.. For seven years fighting those monsters, they haven't thought flying Jaegars, especially when you have a nuclear reactor at their side. 

Well, I forgive those flaws.. Forget it anyway, I still enjoyed the film. First of all, I love how Del Toro assembled his cast. Not an all star cast but they did there roles correctly. I love the role of Raleigh, General, hmmm Mako of course, ah Hannibal despite he did not do something productive, pilots of Jaegars, even yeah those chinese ones and the ever intelligent scientists. They all fit together even they are not really brought light to the film but they kinda helped the film. 

Del Toro's direction was superb, I mean I haven't seen afraid of the dark and wolfman, but all his films were good, 2 hellboys and Pan's labyrinth. What I love in his direction, his details of the film, from massive set until the smallest props, he got all that shooting in a scene. Making his films always interesting and enjoyable, a good balance between visuals and dialogue. The screenplay is good despite it's quite simple and a lot of references which I'll list them down here. The screenplay worked at least to fit with the film. Explained every technicalities from the Kaiju, the decision of UN, how Jaegars work especially why in pair of pilots, and a lot more. Yes, I feel, I won't be surprised if there will be no sequel for this one, unless they thought of prequel or I don't know how they will pull up for a sequel. 

 Lastly, the biggest factor why this film is successful or it's worth watching, the VFX, Sound effects and production design, Jaegars and monsters. Another flaw, I hope there was a big fight in a morning setting. hehe But anyhow, compare this to Transformers? I'll choose this over that because the sound effects and visuals were just right and not confusing like Transformers or Transformers 2 and 3. One part of the film I was just cheering for that Jaegar to kill that bastard. hehe I was laughing as well, the Jaegar from China,  good looks, great weapon and strategy, poor quality.. Made in China! hahaha

That's how enjoyable I am watching this flick. I love how they presented the big fight scenes, or even those dream sequences, the funny experiment of the doctors, and the massive stage for the base of Jaegars and the cities involved in the fights. I feel sorry for Hong Kong.  I love also scenes showing the men proportionate to the Jaegar and how the Jaegar works. The anime feel of having mecha's or monster put in the big screen at last! Made it right with this one. I'm wondering when it comes of anime, US films are getting inspiration from anime and translate into something different works, not really adapting them. This year, like Man of Steel from Dragonball, last year was Chronicle from Akira for some big parts, and now this.. It's good.. At least it works. I mean Japan Cinema doing anime/manga adaptations recently and it's better if they do it their own. 

I hope I've seen this at Imax. Damn, I wish I had that money when I watched this. Man of Steel was above in this film due to a great casting, better screenplay and well, that's Superman. For this one, for the effects? It's better than Man of Steel. By the way, great thing in this film, the best parts were not shown in the trailers, so really better see this,I believe this one is better in IMAX. 

Well, 2 films left that I'm waiting for this summer are Kick Ass 2 and another scifi sort of anime style film, Elysium. Let's see if they will get the title of best film for this summer.

Almost forgot, anime references for this film. I maybe right or wrong but the way I see it, the creators of pacific rim really watched a lot of anime.

Gundam - Judging the feet of the Jaegar, it looks like a mobile suit. hehe It's just bigger than usual Mobile Suit, I hope this can be remade as a film by a big US studio, the screenplay for this one, easy to westernize.

Hero robots such as Voltes V, Getta Robo, Grandizer or whatever - the sequence which the head of Jaegar is going to it's body. Of course, no special space ship or flying saucer but it's just well they have that sequence. And yes, even the sword weapon. They made it like the logical design but well it's cool to have a special move to show the sword.  I has smiling that Jaegars can fly, thanks to the big choppers.  Robots versus Monsters or robot monsters.

Godzilla, Gamera or other original Kaijus - Well, no explanation needed for that. 

Ultraman - Man versus Kaiju or monster. 

Evangelion - Jaegars needs to have the psyche of both pilots sync with the robot, like in  EVA, of course this one, Jaegars need 2 pilots. No Angels sorry. or even Rei. 

Mazinger Z - The rocket punch of Jaegar which the only differnce, the punch doesn't go off from the arm, just a strong punch. And that move of the Jaegar from the breast which is like Breast of Fire. I hope they have a female Jaegar and copy andromeda, breast missile! hehe 

Robot Jox - I don't know if somebody remember this 90's film about big robots fighting in a low budget crap. hehe But well, it's the first one. At those days.

Lastly, I just realized while drinking a melon shake. 

Gunbuster - The last part of Pacific Rim, sorry for the spoiler. This OVA is all about an alien race trying to invade earth, but we have a big robot named Gunbuster. Piloted by 2 chicks, and at the last episode of it, to finish the alien warship whatever, as they exhausted all weapons, they used the atomic heart of Gunbuster to blast the alien warship off. They survived of course but it took time to get back on Earth. This one well instead of atomic heart, they sacrificed the robot because of the atomic/nuke reactor. Just a thought. 

Attack on Titans - When people discontinued Jaegar, we used walls to stop Kaiju, well that's the topic for this anime, almost the same. hehe It's just big dudes instead of monsters.

I can't wait to have this in blu ray copy.. I don't care if it's a big file. Well, it will be worth for the wait. 

What if really, monsters just show up in the pacific and what if indeed they invade us? Are we going to us that rusty warship to fight them? Or that new warship we just bought which it doesn't look like one?

I think we just need to run away.. Or we have robots right? According to the PS one game, Front Mission 3! hehe

In our dreams.