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Post by Agai Lazen on Jul 17, 2013 23:46:01 GMT -4
We've all seen the trailers. Well, if you lived under a rock, here's one:
And yes, this movie is just as awesome as the trailer.
What I love about the movie is that each Kaiju (Movie terminology for the giant monsters, Japanese for "Strange Creature") and Jaeger (Movie terminology for the mecha, German for "Hunter") has it's own personality and visible attributes, from the steampunk and boxy Cherno Alpha, to the quarterback-esque Gipsy Danger, and from the shark-like Knife Head to the ape-like Leatherback.
The fights are just as grand and spectacular as they look, with immense detail the GREATLY surpasses Bayformers. That comes from not only the sheer amount of parts that are moving, but from the large amount of lighting coming from the backgrounds that reflect off of the Jaegers, as well as their own built-in spotlights and the Kaiju's neon-flesh.
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Post by Agai Lazen on Jul 21, 2013 0:44:10 GMT -4
However, there are still flaws with this film, and they lie entirely on the human cast. Every character is predictable and one-note. Seasoned Kaiju veterans like myself have learned to tune out those moments with the human cast that served entirely as dead weight to the movie, but people who haven't learned to cope with it won't feel much better when interacting with the human cast of Pacific Rim. I honestly think a lot less time could have been spent on the humans and focused more on the Jaeger x Kaiju fights and injecting more of them into the film.
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Post by Jakob on Jul 21, 2013 2:01:26 GMT -4
I, for one, think that Pacific Rim is perfect just the way it is. I would not have it any other way, and I have no doubts that Guillermo Del Toro would feel the same.
The focus on the characters is important because one of the main themes of Pacific Rim is teamwork, cooperation, and tightening the bonds between your fellow human in the face of the monsters that are at our door. Idris Elba's speech is literally the entire point of the movie beyond the Kaiju battles. The very theme also has the bonus of explaining how the Jaegers function, and how they can conceivably fight, let alone defeat, the Kaiju.
Would Pacific Rim need to divert more focus on or off the characters and "fix" the "problems" internet critics say it had? If so, what would you want to establish about the characters? What would you have to sacrifice in order to make the screentime needed to make such changes? Would it be worth it?
Speaking as an aspiring filmmaker and guy who thinks (or knows, depending on how egotistical I feel) that the common internet critic is a poison to the entertainment industry, I can say with confidence that the answer to all of those questions is "No. Absolutely not. One of the most important aspects you must pay attention to in a movie is pacing."
Also, Gipsy Danger was designed more like a broad-shouldered cowboy, not a quarterback... Although John Wayne did play football before he got into show biz...
Although back to the characters, they aren't really developed through their dialogue. They're developed through their actions, their expressions, and their costumes. I actually like that about the character development in this movie. I like the "show, don't tell" that Del Toro went with.
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Post by Agai Lazen on Jul 21, 2013 14:11:19 GMT -4
I'm not sure about you, Jacob, but when I think broad-shouldered cowboy I think of something with bell-bottom pants and a hat which size is measured in gallons.
Though I will have to retract my initial criticisms thanks to your intelligent rebuttle. I'll need to give this movie more viewings before I draw any more conclusions. From what I remember, you do make a very strong point, and I hope any future sequels further touch up on the motif of teamwork. Here, the message is a bit lost because of how easily the jaegers are destroyed and what little time we spend on their pilots.
BTW: My favorite Jaeger is Cherno Alpha.
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Post by Jakob on Jul 21, 2013 16:18:26 GMT -4
I'm not sure about you, Jacob, but when I think broad-shouldered cowboy I think of something with bell-bottom pants and a hat which size is measured in gallons. Though I will have to retract my initial criticisms thanks to your intelligent rebuttle. I'll need to give this movie more viewings before I draw any more conclusions. From what I remember, you do make a very strong point, and I hope any future sequels further touch up on the motif of teamwork. Here, the message is a bit lost because of how easily the jaegers are destroyed and what little time we spend on their pilots.BTW: My favorite Jaeger is Cherno Alpha. Well, Guillemero Del Toro did specifically describe Gipsy as a "cowboy" type of silhouette. As for the message: I wouldn't say it's lost, because the Jaegers getting destroyed by the toughest Kaijus they've seen yet only served to raise the stakes and desperation that ultimately led to Gipsy Danger being deployed once more. Also, the better the bond between pilots, the better the Jaeger fights- as established pretty early in the film. Imagine what that says that Gipsy Danger could beat both Category 4s "by herself" when Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon and Striker could not. It only serves to subtly show the audience that the bond between the Gipsy pilots is immeasurably strong- much like the bond of really good brothers, in that they seem to be able to read each others' minds even without the drift. I don't really play favourites myself.
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Post by Agai Lazen on Jul 21, 2013 22:44:23 GMT -4
As for the message: I wouldn't say it's lost, because the Jaegers getting destroyed by the toughest Kaijus they've seen yet only served to raise the stakes and desperation that ultimately led to Gipsy Danger being deployed once more. Also, the better the bond between pilots, the better the Jaeger fights- as established pretty early in the film. Imagine what that says that Gipsy Danger could beat both Category 4s "by herself" when Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon and Striker could not. It only serves to subtly show the audience that the bond between the Gipsy pilots is immeasurably strong- much like the bond of really good brothers, in that they seem to be able to read each others' minds even without the drift. That came across my mind, but would carry better if Cherno Alpha wasn't piloted by a married couple, a much more final and established relationship than the puppy love between the leads who's names escape me. And then there's Crimson Typhoon being piloted by triplets. But, then again, maybe their marriage is one that wasn't meant to be, and maybe our two leads are star-crossed lovers, we never really find out for sure. After all, with his own brother the male lead couldn't beat a measly class-3 knifehead, so maybe newfound bonds are stronger than family ties. I will also agree with you on the fact that Class 3-5 kaiju being able to destroy Jaegers creates more tension. A hell of a lot more tension than Baytomus Prime plowing through bad bots.
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Zero
Prime
All things are possible...
Posts: 3,921
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Post by Zero on Jul 22, 2013 15:55:08 GMT -4
It was good. Now give us Godzilla, the greatest Kaiju of all.
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Post by Agai Lazen on Jul 22, 2013 18:17:56 GMT -4
It was good. Now give us Godzilla, the greatest Kaiju of all. They're working on it. Actually, wouldn't it be awesome if they were in the same universe? Legendary is producing both films and there are tons of Goji nods in PR, so it's a possibility.
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Post by Agai Lazen on Jul 24, 2013 21:58:00 GMT -4
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