BLOOD WORK: SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: PACIFIC RIM UPRISING (2018)

Giants monsters and giant robots on the big screen: no great cinematic joy is there, at least for me. Movies like PACIFIC RIM are such that need to be experienced in a theater on the biggest screen possible. Movies like Call Me By Your Name, whether you see it in a theater or at home, doesn't change the viewing experience much. But a sprawling epic like THE LORD OF THE RINGS or unfathomably large characters like in Pacific Rim, seeing films like these on the big screen is an experience that can't be replicated at home.

In short, PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING is what movie going was made for!

As many of you may know, I have a small affinity for giant monsters. Giant robots too. This genre was once plentiful, not in my lifetime ever, but back in the 1950's, 60's, and into the 70's. Nowadays, with a few exceptions, giant monster movies are a little harder to come by. Back in 2013 a small spark tried to reignite this once thriving genre. That spark was Pacific Rim. Ever since then we've had at least one giant monster movie every year (if you count Jurassic World as 2015's). And we'll at least have two more for the next two years as well in 2019's GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS and 2020's GODZILLA VS KING KONG!

But over the last five years I've been patiently waiting for one giant monster movie in particular: a sequel to 2013's Pacific Rim. And now it's finally here!

THE PLOT

10 years have passed since Raleigh and Mako closed the breach. Much of the world has been rebuilt while parts have remained in shambles. Mankind has continued to work on the Jaeger Program, preparing for a possible attack should the Breach ever be opened again. China has developed a Jaeger Drone system where giant robots can be remote piloted rather than manned. The drone program threatens to decommission all jaeger pilots. While at the drone demonstration ceremony a rogue jaeger rises out of the ocean and begins leveling the city. Gypsy Avenger is sent to intercept the rogue jaeger and apprehend the pilots. What they discover is beyond anything they could've imagined.

THE GOOD

The Inspiration. "You're the meaning in my life, you're the inspiration..." The first Pacific Rim was a love letter to the kaiju and giant robot genres. It drew on elements from movies as well as anime, drawing inspiration from all the right places. Pacific Rim Uprising continues drawing inspiration from the right sources. At the beginning it feels like we're watching an 80's giant robot cartoon, a little Gundam, Robotech, and maybe a little Gobots for flavor. Later on it takes another page from Neon Genesis Evangelion before finally going full on "giant monsters attack Japan." And I loved it all! It's been a while since I geeked out this much in a movie theater. The science fiction elements of the story were among my favorite aspects of the film.

Working within the Narrative. With almost an entirely new cast of characters the filmmakers could've easily started from scratch and this could've been a reboot. But instead the filmmakers dive head long into the world created by Travis Beacham and Guillermo Del Toro. They continued exploring plot threads from the first film and advanced the story in natural and unexpected ways. They even pulled some references from the comic books, taking full advantage of the stories already in existence.

Going off of this point, a few characters make a return appearance. Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, and Rinko Kikuchi reprise their roles and they are most welcomed. Obviously Idris Elba's Stacker Pentacost is mentioned a lot as the lead character is his son. Sadly though only Raleigh is mentioned a few times and does not make an appearance.

The Music. A major component of the first film that I absolutely loved was the score by Ramin Djawadi and Tom Morello, probably my favorite film score of the last five years. PRU's score isn't as good as the original but it is still pretty awesome. There are some musical motifs near the beginning that remind me of 80's science fiction films and even 80's robot cartoons, which I thought were wonderful. The original film's theme returns for one scene, which, of course, is amazing! I wish it were utilized more. Lorne Balfe's score still gets your blood pumping though, especially in the action scenes, which brings me to my next point.

The Action. Steven Deknight knows how to do action. He's probably one of the main reasons why Netflix's Daredevil Season 1 was so amazing with its action. I am a fan of action and I must say that this film takes the Pacific Rim fights to the next level. I thoroughly enjoyed the action set pieces. I still question how Jaegers can jump off of buildings without crushing them though.

NITPICKS

(not necessarily bad things but aspects that struck me as odd)

Saved By The Bell: The New Class. As I stated earlier, sadly there are only a few original characters returning. Most of the film is rounded out by brand new actors and characters. With the exception of actresses Tian Jing (whom I think is great in everything I've seen with her) and Adria Arjona, I didn't quite warm to the new younger cast. They either felt forced or hallow. I get where they were going with the narrative in pushing the teenagers to the forefront, but the fast paced story telling didn't do the new characters too many favors.

Dumb Moments. The first film had some stupid moments, I'll admit. But this movie has some doozies. Off the top of my head there's the ice cream scene and the snowball fight scene which just did not work for me. Scott Eastwood's deliveries didn't quite land as solidly as I would've liked and neither did some of John Boyega's. Overall, with the exception of Tian Jing, the new characters are the weakest aspects of the film. But, whatever, it was still loads of fun.

I do wish there had been more returning characters though. It would've been nice to see Hannibal Chao, Tendo, and Herc Hansen again, especially since I don't see how they'd not be involved in this world still. And of course Raleigh Beckett. I wanted at least a cameo from Charlie Hunnam, you know, for solidarity. Mako and Raleigh reunited for the final battle, as the 11th hour save, would've been epic! This brings me to my next point of contention: Mako. She's there but not for long. I was disappointed with the direction they chose for her and her ultimate fate.

THE VERDICT

Pacific Rim Uprising delivers the goods where it counts. The jaegers and kaiju are treated very well and are oh so cool. The fight scenes are epic in scope, pushing the boundaries further. The film rightfully draws its inspiration from anime and 80's giant robot cartoons, and pushes the story forward in some truly sci-fi ways. The returning actors deliver quality performances but the new actors, with a few exceptions, struggle to connect with the audience. Some characters feel a bit forced which results in some unfortunate moments. Overall though Pacific Rim 2 offers another exciting chapter in the genre of giant robots and giant monsters.

Overall Ranking: 6 out of 10