Despite being a big, blustery blockbuster, Pacific Rim may work best in its smaller moments, a testament to director Guillermo del Toro’s ability to build worlds.
Yes, there are giant monsters fighting giant robots. And yes, they’re pretty cool looking and fun and fantastic. But the little touches added by del Toro are what bring this universe to life.
Set 12 years in the future, the world of Pacific Rim has been ravaged by kaiju (Japanese for giant monster) attacks for more than a decade. The robotic Jaegers (German for hunter) that defend the planet aren’t shiny and new but are dinged up; the suits their pilots wear are scuffed. Like Ridley Scott’s Alien or Blade Runner, this is a future that feels lived in.
Hong Kong, the site of an attack, has been rebuilt...