One Minute Movie Review: Pacific Rim

This is one of those flicks you just have to see, on the big screen, to truly appreciate its scope and staggering effects which are the lone stars of the show.  You have to go into this with the understanding that this is a movie about cool arss, gigantic robots (called Jaegers), fighting even cooler monsters (called Kaiju) that sets the CGI bar higher than any film to date.  If you go in expecting anything else; like compelling and authentic performances, a complex story, or even spurts of humor, you will be sadly disappointed.   This is a film about Godzilla's extended family having a world wide throw down with the Power Rangers for adults, portrayed in epic proportion with mind boggling battle sequences, nothing more, nothing less.   All the characters remain two dimensional, without any real connection with the audience.  Their back stories, though present, never engage the viewer and, the special effects overshadow any attempt at plot or character depth.    There are some very sleek plot devices, like the Drift and the Kaiju origins, but they are only quickly passed by and not explored to their fullest story potential.   But it is hard, as a fan-boy, to be overtly critical about a film that features a skyscraper size Mech beating down an equally sizeable behemoth using a battleship as a club.   Now that is what cinema is all about, certainly makes the twelve bucks I spent a little less painful.  Yes, I long for the days that featured realistic and entertaining comradery in the midst of insurmountable odds and near Armageddon like such films as Armageddon, Die Hard, Independence Day, the original Star Wars trilogy, and their like.  Yes,  they were campy and somewhat predictable, but they had, something today’s productions are sadly missing, heart and soul.  You rooted for the heroes, despised the villains, and even though you knew the good guys would most certainly win in the end, you sat on the edge of your seat until the end credits rolled.    Hollywood has totally lost touch with the public, and with each film, that becomes more and more apparent as their inability to relate to the common man is undeniable.    Powerful effects are easy, compared to creating realistic drama, story, and character evolution.  3 out of 5 Kernels; c’mon, a flippin’ Jaeger, slaps down a Kajiu with a freakin' battleship, nough said.