MOVIE REVIEW: Pacific Rim

GENRE: 3D science-fiction

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours 11 minutes

STARRING: Charlie Hunnam (Nicholas Nickleby), Idris Alba (Prometheus), Rinko Kikuchi

DIRECTED BY: Guillermo del Toro (The Hobbit, Mama)

RATING:    

Currently screening at Ster-kinekor Northgate.

PLOT: Sometime in the not-too-distant future, Earth is battling a war with the Kaiju – gigantic creatures which emerge from the sea destroying everything in their path. Humans have developed a defence mechanism in the form of Jaegers; gigantic robots co-piloted by two people whose minds are joined by a neural bridge in a process called ‘drifting’. As the Kaiju become more aggressive and their attacks become more frequent, the Jaeger defense suffers and is almost shut down. Commander Pentecost (Idris Alba) finds alternative funding and recruits retired Jaeger pilot Becket (Charlie Hunnam), who pairs up with an inexperienced Mako (Rinko Kikuchi) in a final attempt to rid Earth of the Kaiju for good.

THE GOOD: The actors are gorgeous so there is plenty of eye-candy for the ladies, and the fight sequences will keep the guys glued to their seats. The computer-generated graphics (CGI) are outstanding. The Kaiju, as a result of a polluted and abused planet, are able to survive in our environment, and it appears that the film has an environmental message – and warning.

THE BAD: The film’s title is nondescript and does nothing to sell the movie, and after watching the film the title still reveals nothing. The movie relies too heavily on dialogue, and if you miss out on an important conversation you may get lost. Character development is lacking and a potential romance never comes to the surface.

VERDICT: The film can stand on its own due to its amazing special effects which make up for its weak story line and lack of character development. If it’s entertainment you want then this movie is guaranteed to give you that.

*SPECIAL THANKS TO STER-KINEKOR NORTHGATE WHO MADE THE REVIEW POSSIBLE.