“Pacific Rim: Uprising” is the sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 film, “Pacific Rim.” I want to take this moment to ask, what is the obsession with the one word subtitle? It is more prevalent in the video game industry, but still. Uprising? Covenant? Homecoming? Apocalypse? Whatever happened to numerals? Just throw a “2” on the end and be done with it. Plus, when Hollywood decides to crank out “Pacific Rims” “3,” “4,” “5,” and “6,” — and they will, they did not tap a young, franchise-ready actor like John Boyega for nothing — the numerals will help sustain some sort of chronology.
Not that chronological order is going to be terribly important for any movie in the “Pacific Rim” franchise. The films are not about the plot. The plot is there to guide us to the inevitable showdown between 300-foot tall robots (Jaegers) and city-sized monsters (Kaijus). Just good, anime-inspired, building-destroying, dumb fun. That is why audiences poured into theaters last weekend to watch it.
In a film like this, aesthetics play a Jaeger-sized part. While the 2013 film had an engine-grease, rusty-pipe, analog aesthetic, “Uprising” feels more futuristic, with holographic controls and funny-shaped buildings (especially after getting smashed apart by a Kaiju). The new aesthetic is more appealing to the franchise’s target audience (read: 14-year-olds), but part of the original film’s charm was the rusty aesthetic. It felt more grounded in reality, which was surprising, given the film’s ridiculous premise. It was distinctly del Toro-ian. That charm is largely gone in “Uprising,” but there are a few, sporadic moments that remind you that this is a franchise of del Toro’s making.
If you want a critical analysis of “Pacific Rim: Uprising,” here it is. The acting is alright. Nobody shines particularly bright. The plot is basically nonexistent, it just serves as a path to get us from one Jaeger-bashing, Kaiju-smashing fight to another. The character arcs are contrived. There are no surprise decisions, no dramatic turns — save one, but it only makes sense if you have seen the first film (which again, is not necessary). But this movie was not built for critical analysis. Nobody on the cast and crew are expecting an Oscar nomination — with perhaps the exception of visuals or sound design. “Pacific Rim: Uprising” is popcorn entertainment. It is not trying to be anything more. Just fun. It is a big, loud, dumb, fun movie that succeeds at being big, loud, dumb, and fun. What’s not to love?
