by Reg Geli

There is a child in all of us. Not even the most pretentious, Starbucks-sipping, suit-wearing 40-year old can deny the allure of good rambunctious fun. What Pacific Rim does, is bring out that child, with the badassery and awesomeness that is gigantic alien-fighting-mecha.

Pacific Rim, one of the latest contenders for blockbuster of the summer, opens by explaining the general situation: a portal deep in the ocean has opened, allowing monsters the size of skyscrapers, called Kaiju, to come through to our world and wreak havoc. The world bands together and forms the Jaeger program, where giant robots are manufactured to counteract these Godzilla clones, to be controlled by trained human pilots. But there is a twist; unlike other media of the mecha genre, the robots here require two pilots, as the neural connection between human and robot proves too much for one brain.

When the actual plot starts, the story is already in the thick of things. It seems there is no story left, seeing as there is already a solution to this monster pest problem. However, the movie then goes to introduce Raleigh Beckett, who experiences the first of a turn of events in which the Kaiju appearances start becoming deadlier and more frequent, and the human wins dwindle back into losses. The world must find a way to adapt to this. The movie is not about finding the general solution to a problem, but about ending that problem once and for all.

Now there is a difference between having no plot and having a badly-written plot. Unlike the other summer film, Man of Steel, which tried so hard to have a profound, meaningful story, Pacific Rim acknowledges that it has no story. Monsters from deep in the ocean and characters with cliché backstories are really just an excuse to present giant robots fighting giant lizards. But what Pacific Rim does right here is to just roll with it and play out its strengths. It does not care about profundity. It cares about sheer enjoyment and was able to execute this with masterful skill. It does so with two things: the characters, and the action sequences.

This is not a heavily character-driven story, but the pilots, scientists, soldiers, and even civilians were still able to pique attention. You have Mako Mori, a female Asian lead, who proves to be refreshing after the generic hot white girls that are common in action movies. She is strongly written, with quirks that keep her away from any stereotypes, while being able to exercise femininity without being overly-sexualized. Then, you have the two Science Bros. They ended up being a little cartoony, but you cannot deny that they brought a lightness and humor to the film that everybody appreciated. And of course, you have Pentecost, played by Idris Elba. I think everyone remembers him for memorably delivering a powerful monologue. The movie is rife with an array of individuals. Even minor characters with the least number of speaking lines also ended up standing out on their own.

The weakest character here turns out to be the main one, Raleigh Beckett. There is absolutely nothing interesting about him but he still managed to be perfectly likeable.

Despite this, the action sequences still remain the gem of the film. Director Guillermo del Toro displays a skillful grasp of cinematography and action choreography. First off, the audience can actually follow what is happening. The action is not overwhelming or in your face a la Transformers. And the audience is actually drawn into the action. Each hit has impact, each slice has effect. You may even feel yourself rooting for your favorite teams. The first time I watched this film, the audience in the theater would cheer as if watching a boxing match. There are times where it can get a bit ridiculous (for example, there are moves named ‘Elbow Rocket’) but it is executed so well that instead of jarring the action, it supplements it, making the whole scale of it even more awesome.

Now the film may be action-heavy but it still manages to touch on some themes. The two-pilot system may at first seem unnecessary but becomes a plot device to show the power of the camaraderie and partnership. It is also a movie about surviving. Del Toro manages to present people who are just using what they have to answer circumstances, and then showing them enduring as a society, despite the threats.

This movie is not perfect. It is full of clichés and lacking in plot, but it becomes a success, nonetheless. It may cater mostly to 12 year old kids who punch the air in their seats, but it is a must-watch for everyone. It makes you feel like an air-punching 12-year old kid anyway. Really, awesome is the only word needed to describe Pacific Rim.