Pacific Rim

Name: Pacific Rim
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Released: July 12, 2013
Duration: 131 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Charlie Day, Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi

2013

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Critics

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 1624 Ratings

See All

7.5

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.5	Your Score
7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 1624 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

PACIFIC RIM

Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: July 12, 2013

Starring: Charlie Day, Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi

Summary: When monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in aWhen monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes-a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)-who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse. [Warner Bros.]… Expand

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 131 min

See All Details and Credits

Awards & Rankings

4	#4 Most Discussed Movie of 2013
28	#28 Most Shared Movie of 2013

Watch Now

Buy On

Stream On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

RogerEbert.com - Matt Zoller Seitz

Jul 12, 2013

If I were nine years old, I would see the monsters-versus-robots adventure Pacific Rim 50 times. Because I'm in my forties and have two kids and two jobs, I'll have to be content with seeing it a couple more times in theaters and re-watching it on video. Read full review

Boston Globe - Ty Burr

Jul 10, 2013

Pacific Rim is, hands down, the blockbuster event of the summer — a titanic sci-fi action fantasy that has been invested, against all expectations, with a heart, a brain, and something approximating a soul. Read full review

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) - Liam Lacey

Jul 11, 2013

Of all this year’s loud, over-long summer action movies that, in various ways, simulate the experience of having a tin bucket placed over your head and being struck repeatedly with a stick, it must be said that Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim is by far the most entertaining. Read full review

Austin Chronicle - Marjorie Baumgarten

Jul 10, 2013

There’s no denying Pacific Rim is the best film of its kind. It remains to be seen whether the film’s epic clawing and clanking satisfies a pent-up demand equal to its ambitions. Read full review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service - Roger Moore

Jul 10, 2013

Del Toro’s robots have weight and mass, and their epic, Hong Kong-smashing fights with the four and six-legged, clawed and horned monsters are visually coherent, unlike the messy blur of the “Transformers” movies. There’s a light, humorous feel to “Pacific Rim” because the science is silly and logic takes a flying leap. Read full review

The New Yorker - Anthony Lane

Jul 15, 2013

It is possible to applaud Pacific Rim for the efficacy of its business model while deploring the tale that has been engendered — long, loud, dark, and very wet. You might as well watch the birth of an elephant. Read full review

New York Daily News - Joe Neumaier

Jul 11, 2013

Laudable as its world-building is, the film drags not just in its interminable middle hour, but also during the redundant monster-on-mechawarrior smackdowns. Read full review

SEE ALL 48 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

JoeB666

Jul 13, 2013

Disclaimer: I loved this movie. I watched it twice, back-to-back, in 3D.

I loved the action and the spectacle. The battles, despite the one absurdity of giant robots fighting alien invaders had sense of realism that was rather unnerving. Everything but that (minor detail) was eerilyDisclaimer: I loved this movie. I watched it twice, back-to-back, in 3D.

I loved the action and the spectacle. The battles, despite the one absurdity of giant robots fighting alien invaders had sense of realism that was rather unnerving. Everything but that (minor detail) was eerily plausible. I also liked the other messages found throughout. Mostly, though, I loved how it all came together as a kind of celebration of the value science and technology when coupled with human courage, ingenuity, innovation, self-sacrifice, individualism (when appropriate), and cooperation (when appropriate).

It's the many minor messages within the movie that made it stand out from mindless summer action movie fare (which are fine, on occasion).

First, what I like the most: I liked abiding theme of science and technology being tools for human salvation. There are literally no scenes without some object of human ingenuity in view. The giant robots are man-machine saviours that aid humanity in fighting against grotesque organic monsters.

(As an aside: I like nature. I was raised in a rural area, and I enjoyed camping. But make no mistake, nature can be brutal, and it is only human scientific, technological, social, and other developments that can keep the monster at bay. If you doubt me, try surviving alone and without man-made equipment for a week in virtually any natural environment. You may not be dead, but you'll almost wish you were. Where I live (just outside a city of 1 million), you’d be dead in less than 5 hours without winter clothing, six months a year. Nature can be subservient to us, but it must never again be our master. Precambrian humans had an average life expectancy of 31 years. Also, like the monsters in this movie, any number larger wild animals would kill a human without a second thought. A bear will rip a child to shreds. Wolves (prior to their gradual domestication by killing the more violent ones over the centuries), were a particularly large threat in Europe. An elephant will gore a grown man. And so on. **It is solely our scientific, technological, and social advancements made possible by an appropriate mix of individual initiative and group cooperation that keep the nightmare at bay.** The movie Pacific Rim acknowledges this. Unlike the technological luddism of, for example, the Terminator movies or Avatar [which both partially denigrate technology and science], this movie celebrates human achievement and progress. And movies could use more of that.)

I liked that movie (unlike almost all American blockbusters) takes place in several locations, none of which are large American cities. The United States comprises about 5% of the global population, and it’s nice to see that represented in an American blockbuster. And how many times do you really want to see New York destroyed, for instance?

I appreciated the message that both cooperation and individual initiative are prudent and necessary. The fight against (for instance, there are several instances of insubordination and deviations from military procedure, but they mostly involve serving the greater good).

I liked the love story component. The lead man was not a handsome male Brad Pitt lookalike, and the female love interest was not the typical American supermodel of action flicks. Rather, she was an English-speaking Chinese national who models the very best traits of many females from that culture. She is polite and respectful, yet stands up for her beliefs non-confrontationally, and she is obviously intelligent. She is "equal but different" from the main male protagonist.

I appreciated the cursory mention of the cause for the alien invasion: global environmental degradation, the (spoiler) reason for the alien invasion.

Although there is much "apocalyptic porn" (hey, I like it too), the body count is actually quite low. While we see entire skyscrapers destroyed, because civilians are evacuated in shelters, the number of civilian casualties is less than 100. (Contrast that with "Man of Steel", which had a casualty count of six or seven figures).

It was nice to see scientists portrayed are heroes. The two scientist characters literally risk their lives to test a theory and gain evidence that is crucial to a positive outcome. This world needs more scientists and technologists. Even the characters' stereotypical eccentricity is endearing: they have their foibles, but they are each aware of it. Sometimes, human foibles are unavoidable, and condemning people for (relatively) harmless quirks that they cannot change serves no purpose.

I did like that movie avoids many Hollywood clichés (for the above reasons).

If I had one complaint, it's that the movie is too short. It's 2 hours and 10 minutes. However, there is less action than I would have liked. It's not that there is too much "non-action" content. It's just that another 30 minutes or so of giant robot battles would have been swell.

In short: see it.… Expand

48 of 59 users found this helpful4811

Niamhmrn

May 19, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is one of a kind for me, it surprised me beyond belief. Upon going to see it with my brother, i initially agreed to tagging along just to be nice and was planning on falling asleep. I couldn't have been more wrong. It has been the only film i have ever wanted to watch a second time, immediately after watching it the first time.

Critics and viewers may complain about the hilarious technological change, and how we couldn't possibly build moving robots as big as Jaegers., but who cares? The last thing I'm thinking about is how scientifically accurate the movie is. No it's not possible to build them but I for one have an imagination. There could never be an Island we don't know about with dinosaurs or ginormous gorillas on them, and we don't question them so why question these Jaegers of Kaijus?

The action and special affects we're outstanding and it had a top notch storyline that was original and interesting. I enjoyed the relationship build between all the characters and i found every second of it enjoyable. I would recommend not missing this film to anybody.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jacobkolby

Jul 13, 2013

An insanely fun and imaginative movie. It has its aspects of action, drama, comedy and much more. There are so many great fight scenes that you wish you could watch over and over again. The Jaegers and the Kaiju are menacing but at the same time fun to look at. While it does have minorAn insanely fun and imaginative movie. It has its aspects of action, drama, comedy and much more. There are so many great fight scenes that you wish you could watch over and over again. The Jaegers and the Kaiju are menacing but at the same time fun to look at. While it does have minor flaws, the movie not only focuses on robots and aliens blowing the crap out of each other but focuses on intriguing story details as well. A must watch, definitely not a movie you wanna miss. 9/10.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

ZetsuWhite

Dec 17, 2013

E o típico filme com otimos efeitos especias, mais com uma história horrivel.
Alem do mais robos gigantes que lutam na cidade ja não e novidade, mais acho que Pacific Rim e um grande concorrente da Franquia Transformer.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

DAvierence

Jul 19, 2013

When monsters come out from the deep and starts to destroy everything at sight,when must create monsters ourselves... as simple as that's sounds, The movie is very entertaining, a joy to watch and one of Guillermo del Toro's finest works.And here's how:

First of all, let's talk about theWhen monsters come out from the deep and starts to destroy everything at sight,when must create monsters ourselves... as simple as that's sounds, The movie is very entertaining, a joy to watch and one of Guillermo del Toro's finest works.And here's how:

First of all, let's talk about the fights between the kaiju(Japanese for strange monster) and the Jaegars,the giant robots and humanity's best weapons against this threat.it's brilliant, the effects are brilliant and the movements of the robots are brilliant, since you won't expect the machines to move at a fast pace,.it is also reinforce by an impressive score too and the right sound effects. I appreciate that you can see what's going on in the scenes and they are well executed.This is one of the main reason that you should see this film.Period.

and then the visual design,And oh man, how I loved the uniqueness of every monster and machine. it scales to the older, more bulky models to the more sleek, agile and let's say,a more modernized style of architecture.I have to admit, each has a distinctive style of fighting, one with brute force, and the other with specialized in close-quarter combat via melee weapons. and the monsters are unique too,each having a different style and design with them with one with the ability to fly, one that has a knife for a head(which reminds me of an episode in Dexter's lab with a monster with the axe head).

The story is simple and straightforward, two brothers, Raleigh (played by Charlie Hunnam) and Yancy Becket, who is played by Diego Klattenhoff, set out on a mission to take down their latest kaiju by the orders of Comandder Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba). Unfortunately,it overpowers the duo and one of has their life taken by the Kaiju.this leads to one of the brothers to work in making a wall, that replaces the jaegars since the jaegars are no longer effective.Then Pentecost finds Raleigh and convince him to return to the battlefield. where they head to Hong Kong, meeting with the Comannder's brightest pupil Mako Mori played by Rinko Kikuchi. I refuse to spoil the rest of the story, but it's basically that machines are set to eliminate the threat once and for all.What I liked about he story is the mythos, a pilot must have a co- pilot, otherwise the person will die due to incompatibility with the jaegar so two are used to control each side of the brain.And also, when a new kaiju arrives, they evolve, which is the sole reason how the main character loses his brother and the changes in terms of strategy.it's a love it or hate it factor and for the record, I like it,

and it's reinforced by the acting and the writing,sure it's not all impressive but Elba's performance is the highlight, it's like he's born as a commander, you will always have your attention to him.The main characters of Charlie and Rinko are above average, but the chemestry between the duo feels right. But then again, it's not bad, but it's really good overall. the script is realistic (other than the stereotypes) and and surprising as well for example, then Pentecost is confronted by Raleigh, and the two points are repeated,i did not expect to hear that and was a surprise as well.Also the way the movie is played out is like a high octane anime.

But what i didn't like was the stereotypes,we have a scientist that is so obviously unrealistic and very campy,that i feel that it was like a cartoon.no offense but i'd think that the scientist should me more calm and less well... paranoid and the other one is that hotshot Australian.
, why does act like a total douche and a freaking whiner that Becket is around? i feel that he should show at least some respect towards the veteran rather to act as a douche overall at the early parts.also, i was disappointed that the other jaegars didn't have a longer screen time, and if there was a prequel,i would like how Pentecost was back then.

In conclusion, the movie is by no means a very sophisticated or spectacular story wise, but if you seek a satisfying movie flick,ignoring any other details, this is a must see. I like how the movie didn't bother to be like a Hollywood blockbuster with the annoying cliches surrounding it, but it took a concept that is loved in japan (The kaiju movie genre and inspiration from many anime shows) and also filling out any plotholes, so simply all questions are answered.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MrNapkins

Jul 19, 2013

Pacific Rim has a lot of what I want in a movie. Epic Fights, Giant Mechs, and Giant Godzilla-like monsters wrecking havoc in cities nearby Marianas trench. This movie has really nice effects and fights that look good to the eyes and really remind me of Transformers too. The downside toPacific Rim has a lot of what I want in a movie. Epic Fights, Giant Mechs, and Giant Godzilla-like monsters wrecking havoc in cities nearby Marianas trench. This movie has really nice effects and fights that look good to the eyes and really remind me of Transformers too. The downside to this movie is almost every character in this movie is a walking cliche and the plot really drops the ball in explaining the Kaiju's purpose for coming to Earth and the UN makes some pretty stupid decisions along the way. Overall I feel that this movie is a nice refresher to see a concept that for some reason isn't really used at all in movies outside the Japanese scene but I would love to see more of Pacific Rim!… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

qev

Aug 17, 2014

i gave it a second chance, having read many reviews, thinking wait a minute qev, did you see the right movie? it was after all a torrented version (from an undisclosed source, not me, that is right out and i deny that!) cos you never know etc, and low and behold, no, it was the same rubbishi gave it a second chance, having read many reviews, thinking wait a minute qev, did you see the right movie? it was after all a torrented version (from an undisclosed source, not me, that is right out and i deny that!) cos you never know etc, and low and behold, no, it was the same rubbish i saw the first time, only THIS time i wanted to shout "Why doesn't somebody fire the BIG WEAPONS at the awful Godzillaesque loping toy mock-ups FIRST THING when they're still out of 'about to destroy you for certain' range? and then i thought, wait a second, it's a comedy! hooray! but then, wait a third, no, no it's not! final verdict? atrocious… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

SEE ALL 399 REVIEWS