<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Madara" data-cid="158385" data-time="1374628794">"Nope," you didn't go see it? Or "Nope" you didn't like it?</blockquote>
"Nope" as in "I'm so disappointed".
Admittedly it did start with sparkly eyes and a wide nerdgasmic grin of joy, but as the time went by it progressed towards yawning and exchanging the "what the fuck did I just watch" stares.
On a purely visual level it's a very enjoyable eye candy, but that's about it. It's a shit film. I did not feel engaged at all. I did not care about the two dimensional cardboard characters. I did not care about the cliche story.
The film couldn't seem to decide what it wants to be, a serious epic action or a self-conscious comedy. It ends up being neither and instead is an incoherent mess. Miike's
Yattaman is a better comedy
and a better giant robot movie because it sticks to being a comedy.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is a better epic scale monsters from the deep movie because it sticks to being epic. And its computer generated characters were way more memorable than anyone in Pacific Rim.
Every time those two scientists came on screen my immersion and suspension of disbelief would shatter. They made me feel like I was suddenly watching MST3K instead.
Whenever you could see kaiju in better light they looked like rubber suit monsters. Yes, I know they basically
are rubber suit monsters by their origin. But when they move with agility and speed of real predatory animals there's a dissonance. You can play the cultural reference card on them. I say they just scream of cheap CG that belongs in a 2000's TV series.
I read the article that Al linked and I thought that in general it was rather pretentious rubbish. I agree that visually the film was good. But that's one of the few ways in which it was good at all. Unfortunately just doing a good job on mecha and character design and colour concept does not make a good film.
I also though that Mako was the best character, but not for reasons described in the article. She was the only one with some sort of personality and depth to her, though that's still being generous thanks to the shallowness of everyone else. Her reservedness, silence and restrain spoke tons more than everyone else's epic speeches and brawling. I also agree with Madara that the retrospections of her as a little girl were the best part of the film. But still so cliched.
Oh noes, a little girl in distress with a huge monster at large.
Al's article ascribed oceanic depths to her blue hair highlights. Strawberry on the other hand thought it was to make her face look less wide. She also pointed out that since she was raised by Stacker, why did she speak with Japanese accent?
Now for the good... If that live action NGE ever comes though, the visual bar is now set very high. I loved the weight and the juiciness of the battles. This was the first time I felt that the scale and weight of a giant robot battle was properly conveyed since the Asuka vs Eva Series battle in
End of Evangelion. Music and sound effects were a very solid piece of workmanship too, complimenting the visual side perfectly. As I already said, the visual concept and design was good. And I like me some Ron Perlman, too.
All in all, it just didn't work. And believe me, I wanted it to work so much. I'll probably still buy it and watch again for the eye candy, but I can't believe this is by the same man who brought us the wonderful and subtle
Pan's Labyrinth. And that bonus scene after the CG part of the credits was the final nail to the coffin. I fully expected a cheap sequel hook when it started, but they actually managed to make it ever
worse.
Now excuse me while I go drown my sorrows in a bottle of
Jaegermeister.
Honestly, I want to see it for pretty CG and the fact that Del Toro's name is on it. Other than that, I'm expecting it to be good but not seeing any real proof it will be, at least as far as the trailer goes.
