I’m going to take some time out of writing scathing reviews of my least favorite Star Trek films to readdress something I wrote a while ago. I presented the list of my top ten favorite movies of all time. That list is, of course, based almost solely on their re-watch-ability, meaning that I think they’re awesome enough that I could watch them almost constantly and never get tired of them. It’s not often that I see movies like that, but I watched one the other day that just may push it’s way into a spot on that list.
Now, I can’t say anything for sure. I’ve seen it one and a half times. But it’s done something to me that only one other movie has managed that I can remember. The first time I saw the Avengers, I came out of the theater shaking from how awesome it was, and the movie was all I could think about for weeks. I obsessed over it. This movie has had the same effect.
This movie is Pacific Rim.
I’m ashamed with myself that I didn’t see it in theaters. That being said, it was puking awesome out of my TV all over the living room when I did finally see it.
I want to point something out before I go any further. Was this a masterpiece of thoughtful filmmaking? While I’m sure there was a lot of thought put into it by some (the giant robots have more comprehensive documentation than a lot of professional products I’ve used, and the Pan Pacific Defense Corps has the best government website I’ve ever seen), it just isn’t what you’d call deep. Or insightful. Or even thoughtful. The trailers promised Giant Robots punching Giant Monsters, and that’s exactly what the movie gives you.
And I mean exactly. Within the first full minute of the film, you get to watch a giant monster, called Kaiju, rip the Golden Gate Bridge in half. Within the first five minutes you’ve seen the giant robots, called Jaegers, built from the ground up, and within the first fifteen minutes you’ve seen society going from a state of alert from danger to monetizing, minimalizing and mocking that danger, and then a Kaiju and Jaeger in a huge battle.
Outside of the Avengers, I can’t think of a movie that delivered on it’s promises so effectively and so quickly.
As for how good the movie really is, the characters are all completely one-dimensional, everything about them is hilariously stereotypical, the acting isn’t that great and the dialogue is at times ridiculous. However, this movie has some special secret something that makes all of that fade to the back of your consciousness, where it is promptly covered by freaking massive doses of awesome. It’s not like it necessarily has more action than say, Battleship, but somehow the action in this movie doesn’t come across as sucking. Why is that, you ask? I’ll tell you.
I don’t know.
But I can’t get the dang movie out of my head. I’ve been obsessing over it for a week, and it doesn’t show any signs of letting up. The key strength this movie has is probably it’s ability to make me feel like I’m a kid again, watching Saturday morning cartoons, without actually treating me like a child. It’s like Beast Wars for adults!
So should you watch it? Well, on a scale of 1-10, I’d place this squarely at HOLY FRIGGIN CRAP THIS IS AWESOME. So, if you like awesome, then sure. You should watch it. If you prefer character drama and deep insights into the human soul, then no. You’d hate this. But then, if you prefer that, this movie wasn’t made for you, it never pretended it was made for you, and it’s completely unapologetic about being made for me. Did you hear they’re making a sequel?
I’m stoked.
Now, I can’t say anything for sure. I’ve seen it one and a half times. But it’s done something to me that only one other movie has managed that I can remember. The first time I saw the Avengers, I came out of the theater shaking from how awesome it was, and the movie was all I could think about for weeks. I obsessed over it. This movie has had the same effect.
This movie is Pacific Rim.
I’m ashamed with myself that I didn’t see it in theaters. That being said, it was puking awesome out of my TV all over the living room when I did finally see it.
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| Note to self: Pick a better metaphor. |
And I mean exactly. Within the first full minute of the film, you get to watch a giant monster, called Kaiju, rip the Golden Gate Bridge in half. Within the first five minutes you’ve seen the giant robots, called Jaegers, built from the ground up, and within the first fifteen minutes you’ve seen society going from a state of alert from danger to monetizing, minimalizing and mocking that danger, and then a Kaiju and Jaeger in a huge battle.
Outside of the Avengers, I can’t think of a movie that delivered on it’s promises so effectively and so quickly.
As for how good the movie really is, the characters are all completely one-dimensional, everything about them is hilariously stereotypical, the acting isn’t that great and the dialogue is at times ridiculous. However, this movie has some special secret something that makes all of that fade to the back of your consciousness, where it is promptly covered by freaking massive doses of awesome. It’s not like it necessarily has more action than say, Battleship, but somehow the action in this movie doesn’t come across as sucking. Why is that, you ask? I’ll tell you.
I don’t know.
But I can’t get the dang movie out of my head. I’ve been obsessing over it for a week, and it doesn’t show any signs of letting up. The key strength this movie has is probably it’s ability to make me feel like I’m a kid again, watching Saturday morning cartoons, without actually treating me like a child. It’s like Beast Wars for adults!
So should you watch it? Well, on a scale of 1-10, I’d place this squarely at HOLY FRIGGIN CRAP THIS IS AWESOME. So, if you like awesome, then sure. You should watch it. If you prefer character drama and deep insights into the human soul, then no. You’d hate this. But then, if you prefer that, this movie wasn’t made for you, it never pretended it was made for you, and it’s completely unapologetic about being made for me. Did you hear they’re making a sequel?
I’m stoked.
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