Plot: What’s it about?
I remember seeing trailers for Pacific Rim in the late Spring. It seemed, to me anyway, that this was Warner’s event movie of the year and I wasn’t that interested. I looked at the box office numbers, as I do every week, and saw that it did well but not that well. I figured it wouldn’t be long before I got my Blu-ray and I’d be the judge. And then I saw that Guillermo Del Toro was sitting in the director’s chair (this is after I popped the movie in the player, mind you). Hmmm, that’s interesting. I didn’t figure Del Toro for the Summer event movie type, but hey if he’s the man behind the camera then I’m all of the sudden a lot more interested. I’ve not been a huge fan of some of Del Toro’s recent films, but I have to admit that I admire him as a filmmaker (if that makes sense). It’s just that some of his movies aren’t for me. But my wife was gone for a few hours, so I could sit back, turn up the volume and let my speakers once again pay for themselves.
And that they did.
It’s the Summer of 2013 and life is good. That is until a 300 foot monster emerges from the sea and decides to snack on the Golden Gate Bridge. Six days later the creature is defeated, but it’s clear that something is certainly amiss. The powers of the world put aside their petty differences and embrace this new force by designing Jaegars – huge robots piloted by not one, but two, pilots that are melded in a mind link known only as “the drift.” As the Kaiju (the huge monsters) start to emerge more frequently, the humans adapt and manage to fend them off for years. You see, these are emanating from a crack in the ocean floor and are actually coming from another world. Things are going well, the pilots of these Jaegars become celebrities and it seems they can kick the Kaiju’s ass on demand. Seven years pass and a particular Kaiju manages to rip apart a Jaegar by the name of “Gipsy Danger.” A pilot is killed, the other (Charlie Hunnam) goes off the grid only to be called back into action when the world makes it’s last stand. The Kaiju are adapting, becoming harder to kill and the fate of the world rests on the four remaining Jaegars. But…will they be able succeed?
Truthfully, there’s a lot more to this movie than meets the eye and I’m as guilty as anyone who judges a book by its cover. I went into Pacific Rim not really wanting to like it, but dammit – I did! There’s actually a lot of depth to the story and it’s clear that Guillermo Del Toro is paying homage to the Asian movies of so long ago. I don’t know if the performances will win any awards, but on a technical level alone this is worth the price of admission. Fans of Del Toro’s films will most likely flock to see this (if they haven’t already) and will no doubt revel in all that is Pacific Rim. The movie clocks in at just over two hours and I could have sat there and watched it for another hour if need be. The action sequences were fun to watch and, while long, didn’t feel dragged out. I don’t really know how else to say this other than this is just a fun movie to watch. Highly recommended.
Video: How’s it look?
Over the years I’ve come to appreciate the flatter aspect ratio films. I’d rather use a lot of the screen as opposed to having it wasted with black bars. And I’ve always wanted to see what this would look like in a 4K format. My wait is over. Having said that, the 1.78:1 AVC HD image is nearly flawless and depending on your particular setup, it might actually be. Deep blacks dominate the palette with the murkiness of the ocean in a few scenes, the backdrop of the indoors for the majority of the movie and the cover of darkness in a few key sequences. That said, the detail is amazing – the intricate details in the robots and the “monsters” is simply stunning. The improved color depth isn’t too noticeable as this is a fairly dark film, but after looking at this and the Blu-ray, there are many noticable differences. This was a good call to put on the 4K format.
Audio: How’s it sound?
My comments still stand for the audio on this title. I was blown away to the point of things falling off my wall while watching the Blu-ray and this new Atmos mix takes it up another notch. But our scale only goes to 5, though I’m thinking we could/should pull a Spinal Tap and move it up a notch. Serioulsy…OH MY GOD! If I ever had any doubt that my speakers weren’t functioning, then I no longer need to worry. I’ve literally never heard a soundtrack that literally made the walls whake mores than Pacific Rim. Want an example? No? Well you’re getting one anyway. It actually shook a picture off the wall. No lie – the WALL! My subwoofer was chirping and was making sounds that I didn’t even know it was capable of making. Surrounds are humming throughout and the front speakers were all but smoking from the workout that this 131minute movie gave them. Suffice it to say that this Dolby Atmos soundtrack might just be the best I’ve ever heard. Ever.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In an odd decision by Warner, we get the Ultra HD/4K disc along with the Blu-ray version of the film along with its corresponding supplements. The “older” Blu-ray had a second disc specifically devoted to extras that’s nowhere to be seen. I’d have thought for the premium that you pay for the UHD disc, they’d have thrown it in since it was already manufactured, but alas – it’s just not there. Having said that, the features that were on the first disc are still present.
- Audio Commentary – Director Guillermo Del Toro’s commentaries are a real treat to listen to. He’s clearly passionate about his work, the film, all the research, development and production that was done for this movie and pretty much everything in between. Like his tracks on previous films, fans will eat this up.
- Focus Points – This is something that Warner does on select titles, they’re a bit deceiving as a majority of these are fairly short, but they encompass just about every bit of the production. They can be watched individually or all at once. Here’s a listing of the titles:
- A Film by Guillermo del Toro
- A Primer on Kaijus & Jaegers
- Intricacy of Robot Design
- Honoring the Kaiju Tradition
- The Importance of Mass and Scale
- Shatterdome Ranger Roll Call
- Jaegers Echo Human Grace
- Inside the Drift
- Goth-Tech
- Mega Sized Sets
- Baby Kaiju Set Visit
- Tokyo Alley Set Visit
- Orchestral Sounds from the Anteverse
The Bottom Line
If you were looking for that UHD disc that’s got it all in both audio and video – here it is. Oh and the movie isn’t that bad either. It’s a bit disappointing that the second disc of supplements was dropped, but if you’re looking for that eye and ear candy, look no further.
