Pacific rim people. Get some excitement going :)

[Ralen-Sharr]

A couple of things about this movie knock my enthusiasm for it down.

1- Rocket punch... really? I've always thought this was a stupid thing regardless of where it was used.

2- (this is last I heard, so it may be inacurate or changed... I really hope I'm wrong on this) The control scheme is 2 pilots, one controlling the left half and one controlling the right half. This is absolutely stupid. That is such a terrible idea for controls that it baffles me that they even considered it. (imagine trying to type under stress with someone else and each of you gets half the keyboard... it's not going to work worth a crap)

When I first heard about this movie I had hopes for it, but this stuff really makes me roll my eyes. I hope it's good though, I'll end up watching it eventually, and I really hope that the good outweighs the bad.

 

[afroebob]

Are you implying that Godzilla was bad?

I am implying that Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla was dumb, but not ALL Godzilla movies are bad, its just after making 24 of the damn movies your going to have a lot of them that aren't good.

 

[Nimzabaat]

if they are really that advanced why havent they mounted a big ass gun or swords on these mechas?

btw evangelion /whatchagonnadonow?

That's one of my pet peeves for Pacific Rim. Giant robot built to punch things? That and needing two pilots to do everything in tandem is the stupidest thing i've seen since they turned Silver Samurai into a robot. I was excited when I first heard about it, now not so much.

I was inclined to agree, then saw some brief 'making of' video that explained it in a way that wasn't totally nonsense. Something about direct neural connections between the pilot and machine, and how the machines are so huge that they fry the brain of a solo pilot, hence the need for two. Not exactly high science, but enough that I'm willing to see what they do with it.

Also:

Using a cargo ship as a goddamn baseball bat? MUTHAFUCKIN' CHECK!

This.

See, I could get behind one person to operate the arms/legs, one person to operate weapon systems (except there don't seem to be any). It's the two people doing exactly the same thing at the same time to make the robot do anything that looks stupid. Why does a human pilot need to be the processor? We can build giant mechs but have forgotten how to make a computer? We have nearly autonomous drones right now. If we were fighting aliens with advanced technology, and they would virus up any computer built in the mech that might actually make sense, but I haven't seen that mentioned anywhere.

I really want this to be good but it looks like just another Transformers.

I'm also sick of the whole "washed out veteran and the talented rookie" thing. Can't we just go with people who are good at their jobs without some over-used underdog plotline?

 

[TheSapphireKnight]

I just want it to be solid. I don't need it to be amazing, I just want to see big monster film to be viable again. I am crossing my fingers for this and Godzilla 2014.

 

[Korak the Mad]

I am very, VERY excited for this film.

Idris Elba is in it.

Charlie Day is in it.

Del fuckin Toro is directing. If anything, I want this film to succeed just so Del Toro can finally get funding for his 'Into the Mouth of Madness' adaptation he wanted to do.

Agreed. Looks quite good.

It's actually an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness".

 

[slacker09]

Are you implying that Godzilla was bad?

I am implying that Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla was dumb, but not ALL Godzilla movies are bad, its just after making 24 of the damn movies your going to have a lot of them that aren't good.

I will concede that there are many bad Godzilla films, but I disagree with you on Mechagodzilla, I feel it was one of the better films in the "Showa Era". Though you are of course free to have a different opinion.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Well, it's a lot of big overly rendered CGI stuff all over the screen - It's not something for me to get really excited about anymore. I saw the same thing in The Avengers and The Hobbit.

Really, what else is new?

Guillermo Del fucking Toro.

That said, while I absolutely adore Guillermo Del fucking Toro and Pan's Labyrinth is one of my favourite films of all time, Pacific Rim doesn't really strike a chord with me. The idea of Del Toro doing a kaiju movie is sound, but kaiju movies were always more about war and the military and its power over civilians. Del Toro has worked with these themes before and well, but Pacific Rim has yet to advertise itself as anything other then giant CGI robots smashing into giant CGI monsters. This is stuff that's been a mainstay in Hollywood blockbusters for the past decade and it's starting to tire somewhat. Sure, the CGI looks fantastic and the set design has something of a unique vibe but that's expected for a $200 million dollar flick. Nothing so far has indicated to me this is a kaiju movie or even a Del Toro movie. It all seems a little vacant in the personality department.

Del Toro is one of those directors where I should like his movies, but I just don't. Like with Pan's Labyrinth... Everything about that movie should have me fall in love with it, but somehow it just does not stick with me at all. I can't explain it. Each of his movies brim with creative visuals, and yet it doesn't tickle my imagination.

And at this point I've become massively sick of the "look how CGI this is" method of visual effects in movies today. It all but destroyed The Hobbit for me, if its clinginess to LotR hadn't already.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I'm really hyped up the movie. The fact that Guillermo del Toro is directing is only but a plus.

The story can stay in the back on this one, I just want to see robots fight monsters with all their badassness (yea that's a word! ).

 

[Terminal Blue]

It's actually an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness".

Which, unfortunately, I'm not sure is ever going to get off the ground. Del Toro has said it's because the plot is too similar to Prometheus, but I think that's probably only half of it.

Big budget adult-oriented horror movies tend to make hollywood execs shrivel slightly in the genital department. In traditional hollywood marketing logic, people who like big budget spectacle movies and people who like adult-oriented horror movies don't really overlap. The "mainstream audience" doesn't want to be exposed to anything really gross or scary or anti-pleasure, while "horror fanboys" are attracted to films precisely because the mainstream audience would find them unappealing. Trying to appeal to both demographics is, according to conventional wisdom, doomed to failure.

It's actually quite surprising that Prometheus, for example, was made, and I'm pretty sure if they hadn't been able to slap Ridley Scott's name on it and market the alien connection heavily it wouldn't have been made. Crucially, it also wasn't a big hit in US theatres. While this is actually kind of bullshit, because the film was an international success and still made Fox a fuckton of money, domestic theatre revenue is very, very important to Hollywood and I don't think Prometheus will have convinced anyone that spending hundreds of millions on an R-rated genre movie is a safe bet.

I really hope that film is made, and if it is I'll be making a rare trip to the theatre because I would honestly love to see a Lovecraft adaptation hit the big screen. But I don't think the chances are terribly good.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

I'm as hyped as it gets, I am extremely excited.

It's probably going to be pretty stupid outside of the fights and the visuals (although I'm holding onto the hope that I'm proved wrong) but at the very least, it's going to be stupid-FUN.

 

[funksobeefy]

Im down, the trailer looks like ass but ill give it a go. When I was first following it It thought it was going to be less tansformery than it this trailer implies.

offtopic- when I read the title I was thinking "why? theyre about to lose all their islands homes to sea level rise." and this was going to be a thread about mass immagration. boy was i wrong

 

[GodzillaGuy92]

Not to mention, do you remember the last time giant robots fought giant monsters?

Yes, quite clearly. And it was spectacular.

That said, my adoption of the aforementioned Yahtzee Chart means that even a return to this sort of film - helmed by Guillermo del Toro the Magnificent himself, no less - can only excite me so much, despite my very great desire for it to be good. Whether Pacific Rim lives up to its potential depends on what extreme they end up taking it. On one side, they could focus their efforts on weaving a legitimately engaging, meaningful story throughout all the bombastic action sequences (don't laugh, The Dark Knight did it fantastically - or, for want of a giant monster movie example, there's films like Godzilla vs. Biollante or the Gamera trilogy); on the other side, they could throw off the shackles of storytelling obligations altogether and delve as deeply as they can into the over-the-top indulgence offered by the subject matter to the point that you can't help but love it (which is the more likely option of the two, going by the trailers). It's the area in between, where the film takes a bit of time fleshing out its characters but not enough to make it worthwhile, and the would-be-awesome action scenes feel fleeting and tacked-on for the sake of a story you don't care about, that puts this movie, like virtually all other movies of its type, in danger.

 

[Nowhere Man]

I've been waiting for this movie since it was first announced as Del Toro is one of my favorite directors and I just totally love this genre. I've seen plenty of interviews and behind the scenes and he's approaching this with much reverence to the whole mecha genre. It does suck to see the general "its going to suck" kind of attitude towards it, even though I've only really just noticed that here. Most movie forums I've been on show excitement for the film. I guess some people are just worn out from the whole Transformers thing? I mean at least this movie isn't another remake or reboot and looks like it genuinely wants to entertain you. Also I grew up watching Godzilla movies every Saturday afternoon when they aired on the local NY t.v. channel so I'm excited for all kinds of reasons.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

Pan's Labyrinth is one of my all-time favourite movies, so I'm keen to see anything from Del Toro. Shit, he was the only reason I tracked down the Hellboy movies recently (first one was a little "meh," but the second was surprisingly really good).
I'm figuring Pacific Rim will feel a bit like a not immature and annoying version of Transformers; hopefully with human characters that are either compelling or don't overwhelm the movie.
I think this film will have a fairly luke-warm reception in its first couple of weeks of release, but good reviews (hopefully) and positive word of mouth (also hopefully) will keep viewers coming in at a steady rate, and it'll end up being one of those movies that just hovers around the middle part of the weekly Box office top 10 for a great amount of time.

 

[Sonicron]

I'm not exactly hyped about the movie, but I see no reason to badmouth it either. I have no real expectations for it except for 90 minutes of perfectly serviceable dumb fun to entertain me and my mates; as long as it fulfills this basic function I won't feel cheated out of ticket money.

 

[Leg End]

"Go into Pacific Rim prepared to be transmogrified into a 12 year old. And then to pee your pants with joy. I love it so much."

The above quote was from someone who was part of the test screenings of this movie. Take it for what you will.

I take that as worth all my money and a weekend of being twelve again.

...wait, is that Hong Kong? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5guMumPFBag#t=1m43s]

Oh my god, that's fucking Hong Kong.

Okay, I'm getting my wallet.

Make that two weekends.

 

[rcs619]

Not to mention, do you remember the last time giant robots fought giant monsters?

I'm not trying to convince you not to watch it, I'm just throwing out the honest reason why I think nobodies really talking about this movie.

Some of the best giant-monster/practical effects movies around got made?

I get it if you aren't a fan of the genre, but the Japanese giant-monster (kaiju) genre is something that a lot of people enjoy. Godzilla, Gamera, Ultraman and others have a lot of fans. Yes, some of them could be groaners at times, but the effects really were ingenious as hell, and considering what the actors had to work with (the often hellish conditions involved in wearing the suits), some of the fight-choreography is just great.

I think you might have the wrong impression when it comes to Pacific Rim. It isn't trying to be transformers (a cynical cash-grab of a known property) or Battleship (a cynical cash-grab of another cynical cash-grab using another known property), it seems like it's trying to be Godzilla by way of H.P. Lovecraft. From what I've seen, it seems to be a love-letter to that whole genre (they actually call the monsters "kaiju") and while I would have preferred for them to use practical, physical effects, as long as they can nail down the spirit of the kaiju-movies, I think it's going to be fun as hell to watch.

It could turn out bad, any movie can. But I'm rooting for this one. It's a risky new IP, using a genre that no one has actually used properly in decades. These are the kinds of movies that should be made more often.

The trailer looked good, the monsters looked interesting and it was a different take on the disaster film...
Until the robots showed up. Really? Iron Man/Transformers styled money-grab? I don't like those films and I don't like the fact that some childish 'super-robot' is being used to fight the monsters. It just seems like a fighting film, when it could have been interesting and had depth.

But it isn't a 'disaster film'. It isn't trying to be a different take on a stale, overused genre. It is meant to be the modern-day revival of a genre barely anyone has used properly in well over a decade now.

It's a modern-day, American-made kaiju film. That's what happens in kaiju films. Humans build giant robots, or transform into giants to fight giant, otherwise unstoppable monsters. It's meant to be maximum fun, and usually just a bit silly. That's part of the point. And considering how much "deep", character-driven monster-movies have sucked lately (I'm looking at you Cloverfield and Monsters), it's about damned time someone set out to make a proper kaiju film. Just enjoy the ride and go back to a time when you were 12, sitting down in front of the TV as you pop in a VHS of a Godzilla movie. Sometimes movies just need to be fun, and as long as Pacific Rim is, I'm totally fine with that.

A 300 foot tall robot picks up an oil tanker to use as a club against an even bigger, armored monster from beneath the sea. If THAT doesn't do anything for you, then I don't know what to tell ya.

 

[Laughing Man]

there's a bit too much CGI

This statement has appeared in several responses so far, now let's check the core movie plot.

Giant mechas piloted by 2 people fighting even more giant monsters from beneath the sea! Just exactly how much freaking CGI did you think the movie was going to have?

I am not looking at this film and thinking hwo this is going to be an interesting tale of how two potentially incompatible people may have to over come their differences so as to share their mind and conscious in the pursuit of saving the Earth. The interesting interplay between teo very different people who would otherwise not like each other suddenly having to work together for a common greater good...

...no I am seeing this trailer and think fuck me that's a big ass robot beating the crap out of an even bigger monster with a god damn freaking tanker.

 

[bobajelly]

there's a bit too much CGI

This statement has appeared in several responses so far, now let's check the core movie plot.

Giant mechas piloted by 2 people fighting even more giant monsters from beneath the sea! Just exactly how much freaking CGI did you think the movie was going to have?

I am not looking at this film and thinking hwo this is going to be an interesting tale of how two potentially incompatible people may have to over come their differences so as to share their mind and conscious in the pursuit of saving the Earth. The interesting interplay between teo very different people who would otherwise not like each other suddenly having to work together for a common greater good...

...I am seeing this trailer and think fuck me that's a big ass robot beating the crap out of an even bigger monster with a god damn freaking tanker.

Pretty much my reaction. Trailers translate awesome for the most part (which I feel it has done successfully). Let the movie show you its depth.
....i realise now that i basically made this thread as a plug for the movie

Excited as hell.

O btw Australia has most advanced robot Thank you gina for your tax dollars...o wait...

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

there's a bit too much CGI

This statement has appeared in several responses so far, now let's check the core movie plot.

Giant mechas piloted by 2 people fighting even more giant monsters from beneath the sea! Just exactly how much freaking CGI did you think the movie was going to have?

I am not looking at this film and thinking hwo this is going to be an interesting tale of how two potentially incompatible people may have to over come their differences so as to share their mind and conscious in the pursuit of saving the Earth. The interesting interplay between teo very different people who would otherwise not like each other suddenly having to work together for a common greater good...

...no I am seeing this trailer and think fuck me that's a big ass robot beating the crap out of an even bigger monster with a god damn freaking tanker.

Not to mention it's Del Toro, so there's gonna be a hefty amount of practical effects as well.

I mean, just look at this video: