In 2013, extra-dimensional amphibious titans dubbed kaijus have begun siege on major cities across the Pacific Rim. With humanity on the brink of devastation from the kaijus’ overwhelming power, the nations of the world have decided that the only logical solution is building giant robots, jaegers, to beat the bejesus out of the colossal invaders. Yup. This is happening.
With such a ridiculous premise, it is easy for a film to collapse under it’s own absurdity. However, this is masterfully handled under the care of Guillermo Del Torro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy). Sure, with so many balls in the air, a few are bound to hit the ground. Much like jaegers in the film, the narrative flow is a bit clunky at times, not always being able to elegantly balance exposition and action. But let’s be real: we aren’t seeing Pacific Rim for any Shakespearean soliloquies.
The brawls between these behemoth beasts and bots are both majestic and carnal. Each fight scene has a transcendent cinematic physicality, making it difficult for the audience not to shadow-box along. These bruising scenes are perfectly offset by the mesmerizing neon streets of Hong Kong and the sleek, sexy jaeger tech.
It’s this meticulous attention to detail that Del Torro is trademark for. Even with such an improbable premise, Del Torro fully commits to his own mythology, allowing his own brand of strange yet stunning mise-en-scene to pull his audience in. From the ticks that live on the kaijus to the jaeger pilot suits, Del Torro leaves no detail unembellished, allowing him to realize his fantastic vision.
Pacific Rim remains a healthy distance from any of the metal-pornographic concoctions of Michael Bay by giving their metal meleer’s an emotional core. Jaeger pilots pair up in a concept called “drifting,” which exposes each pilot to the most intimate thoughts and memories of their partner. This beautifully poetic juxtaposition of emotional vulnerability and the bruising jaegers fosters ideas of the necessary personal understanding for communal determination. While the character arcs are nothing new, these emotional threads are strong enough for us to become heavily invested in characters.
After watching Pacific Rim, it’s easy to see Del Torro is a grown-up director with a child’s heart. He respects the history of the genre he is entering, but does it with a playfulness that is inviting and fun to all generations of moviegoers. He truly wants his audience to be immersed and in awe of the fanciful world he has rendered. It is loud, spectacular, and sincere; if you catch my drift.