Today…
At the edge of our hope, at the end of our time,
We’ve chosen to believe not only in ourselves, but in each other
Today there’s not a man or woman here who shall stand alone
Today we fight the monsters that are at our door
Today, We are cancelling the Apocalypse!
It has been a couple of weeks since Guillerme Del Toro’s big budget mecha versus monster flick Pacific Rim hit the screens, and I am still brimming from the epicness of it! And the authority with which Idris Elba has delivered this final speech has left me even more amped!
We have mentioned time and again about the movie here on TheNanobyte and unlike some of the others flicks which disappointed to say the very least, this have lived up to the expectations of the sci-fi buff within me. Although I had originally planned to see it on the weekend, the curiosity that had built up from the expectation of watching action of such gargantuan proportions meant I was off to a multiplex after work on Friday itself. And after I stepped out of the theater, my MIND was equaled to BLOWN from the adrenaline rush!
Comparisons and Inspiration
As a digger of sci-fi flicks, I was a bit skeptical that it might turn out to be another Transformers or Godzilla. Now don’t get me wrong, the first Transformers were pretty decent as they were something new, but Michael Bay should have stopped it there itself. Instead, we were witness to two drab installments that tarnished the experience of the first one. As for Godzilla, it was pretty spineless for a monster caper.
But the comparisons don’t end there. You can’t just let this one pass by without comparing it to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Well let us just say that the concept of “The Drift” and the accompanying storyline ends all these inevitable comparisons. The passionate ones have also said that it borrows a lot from Japanese anime “Neon Genesis Evangelion”.
From what I saw on the big screen and what Del Toro says, this flick truly is a sterling tribute to Japanese mecha and monster anime.
CGI and Storyline
The emphasis on details and designing of both the Kaijus and the Jaegers is rather exceptional. And Del Toro wanted each Jaeger and each Kaiju to have a distinct entity with the movie’s universe. From a viewer’s point of view, they have definitely succeeded.
Moving over to the storyline, it is original yet predictable. And to be honest, it would be criminal to expect anything else from a movie in this specific genre. What is important that character establishment and human emotions are at the forefront of the storyline. And one more cliché it surprisingly steers clear of (thankfully!) is the place of action. The island of Manhattan has been spared this time as the majority of the action takes place along the coasts of Japan. And there is also a good dose of humor by Ron Perlman and Charlie Day.
Enhancing the scope of imaginative sci-fi movies
For all its inspiration, it is imaginative storytelling at its very best. While I felt that the ending sequence under water near the Breach was a bit underwhelming, the movie on a whole makes for a compelling viewing. And from an enthusiast’s point of view, this movie shows that there is still scope in the “Earth in Peril” sub-genre in movies if it is done right. On an ending note, adding this to your Bluray collection is an absolute must!
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