Movie review: Pacific Rim Uprising

BEFORE he was paying homage to classic horror icons with The Shape of Water, Gulliermo del Toro was bringing his love of giant robots and monsters to the big screen with Pacific Rim (2013).
The film was an unexpected hit, but the planned sequel ran into numerous delays, eventually leading to del Toro handing over the reins to experienced TV series director DeKnight, while remaining as a producer.
A little of the chaos seems to have leaked into the final film, as the story this time seems a little rushed and unoriginal, filled with numerous tropes previously seen in other shows like Power Rangers, Voltron, Transformers, not to mention about a dozen Japanese mecha animes.
A slightly sloppy opening sequence introduces us to ex-Jaeger pilot and smuggler Jake Pentecost (Boyega), who is running from the shadow of his war hero father.
He crosses paths with Amara (Spaeny), a streetwise orphan who has built her own, highly-illegal mini-Jaeger using stolen tech.

The two are involved in a frantic, hilarious chase sequence and arrested, with Jake’s adopted sister Mako (Rinko Kikuchi) offering them a chance to stay out of jail by joining the Jaeger programme.
For Amara, it is a chance to hone her piloting skills and to be a part of a family, while for Jake, it’s a chance to be a pilot again, alongside ex-partner Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood) in the highly-advanced Gypsy Avenger.
However, the Jaeger programme itself is in danger, as a Chinese tech company led by Liwen Shao (Jing) is building defense drones intended to replace human pilots.
During a drone demonstration, a mysterious rogue Jaeger shows up and battles Gypsy Avenger. Jake soon realises that the alien invaders have returned, and their vicious Kaiju are not far behind.
Of course, all of this leads to another massive, chaotic battle in an Asian city, where the fate of the world once again lies in the hands of a group of plucky Jaeger pilots.
As someone who absolutely loved the first Pacific Rim, I have to admit I expected a little more from this film.
The story is weak, with too many subplots making a mess of the film’s pacing. Its real strength lies in the special effects, which look amazing, and surprisingly, in the performances of some of its actors.
Boyega and Spaeny manage to carry the film, and have good chemistry together. Aside from Kikuchi, two others from the original, Burn Gorman and Charlie Day, return as Drs Herman Gottlieb and Newt Geiszler respectively, now in situations vastly different from when we first met them.
While I thought they were the most annoying part of the first film, their performances here completely changed my opinion of them.
One thing audiences might find polarising is how much the film seems focused on appealing to the Chinese market, where the previous film was such a hit.
This time around, we have more Asian cast members, especially from China, a large part of the film is set in China, and one Chinese character is obviously, almost comically, forced into the final battle.
However, if you are here only for the Jaegers and the Kaiju, you will not be disappointed. There are three major battle sequences in this film that will make your jaw drop with all the weapons and special abilities of its participants.
The film is admittedly flawed, and really could have used De Toro’s unique vision to tie it all together, but if you are a true fan, you will still enjoy every minute of this. And best of all, it promises a sequel.