Pacific Rim

Bringing a colossal combination of alien monsters and manmade robots is director Guillermo Del Toro’s quite literally awesome Pacific Rim. With a distinct nod towards films such as Godzilla, Transformers, and Real Steel, Del Toro’s much anticipated blockbuster is set to descend upon UK cinemas next week.

Starring the relatively unknown Charlie Hunnam (TV’s Sons of Anarchy) as Raleigh Becket, Pacific Rim is the action packed extravaganza that Transformers failed to deliver. With the unlimited creativity of the director of Pan’s Labyrinth and Hell Boy, Pacific Rim‘s monsters are certainly undeniably Del Toro’s invention; a dedicated feast for fans of action, suspense and pure, unashamed mass destruction.

Set in the near future, the fantastical storyline by writer Travis Beacham (Clash of the Titans) puts a new twist on alien domination: instead of coming from the skies, the Kaiju – which we learn is Japanese for “Giant Beast” – rise up from a breach in the floor in the very depths of the Pacific Ocean.  Unleashing cataclysmic devastation of the human race, the alien threat is about to bring the apocalypse to Earth, and Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba, Thor) intends to put a stop to it with the help of the 25-storey robots, called Jaegers (German for “Hunters”).

Launched into a world full of havoc and menace, the initial outlook is significantly ominous.  However, Del Toro ensures spirits remain high with cheesy dialogue that is at times a little over zealous, but on the whole will satisfy those with a penchant for barefaced entertainment. The immense sense of inferiority evoked in the audience by every aspect of this film adds to the overall awe-effect – something Del Toro never fails to deliver.

If you can see past the fantabulous idea that a world can forget all its internal issues and pull together to defeat a mutual enemy, and if you can forgive the exaggerated enthusiasm of some of the characters, then there is really no reason why this can’t be a film of gigantic proportions – its box office success included.

Jennifer Atkinson 

Pacific Rim is released nationwide on 12^th July 2013. 

Watch the trailer for Pacific Rim here: