Jul 12th 2013, 21:37, by Kevin P. Sullivan
Fanboys, rejoice! Guillermo del Toro's first movie since "Hellboy II" is here, and it has giant robots fighting also-gigantic monsters. "Pacific Rim" has decidedly split critics, but if you're heading to theaters this weekend, these are the Five Reasons you should check it out.
Read on after the jump!
It Delivers Its Promises
So you saw the trailers. They spelled it out: robots fighting monsters. That's a simple and badass enough of a concept to get you interested. Spread that out over two hours, and we're set. Well, "Pacific Rim" does not skimp on the enormous fight sequences. They're so thrilling in fact that you spend the rest of the time waiting for another bout to start up.
It's A Great Reason To Go Theaters
One of the aspects of the concept that Guillermo del Toro wanted to really dive into was the scale of that battles between the Jaegers and the kaiju, and he managed to craft sequences specifically tailored to highlight that. Because of all of this, you need to see "Pacific Rim" on the biggest screen you can find. It will absolutely be worth the extra miles in your car and the IMAX fees.
Not For The Characters
You know how I said that you end up anxiously waiting for the next robot fight? That's not entirely a good thing. Each of the characters is given a clear arc and motivations—something to actually be thankful for in the summer of 2013—but that's pretty much it. You end up seeing missed opportunities to actually care about the characters, but that's not why you're here, is it?
It's Original*
That isn't to say that it doesn't borrow a ton from a dozen different sources, but the characters and specific concepts haven't appeared anywhere else. That actually means something to the studio execs that decide which scripts to turn into movies and which collect dust. "Pacific Rim" may not be the most original film, but every blockbuster that isn't a sequel or prequel can potentially lead to more. You vote with your dollars.
The Last Act
Despite the flaws that may have come before it, the last act of "Pacific Rim" is actually pretty powerful stuff. The battle completely changes from anything we've seen before and escalates in a big way. The film really hits its stride in the second half, and the final battle is the culmination of that growth.