Pacific Rim (Two-Disc Special Edition DVD)

Description

If the prospect of two-plus hours of 250-foot
mechanical men pummeling enormous alien creatures from another dimension is
just what you’ve been waiting for, oh, boy, does Guillermo del Toro have a
treat for you. The celebrated director–one might even say visionary–has
pulled off the most elaborate B-movie heist ever with this huge-budget special
effects extravaganza that revels in catchphrase cliché dialogue, a howlingly
obvious script, and the most breathtaking homage to Japanese monster and mecha
cinema, manga, and comic tradition. It’s all by design, of course, and is a
stunning spectacle that also acts as antidote to the bloated, self-important
superhero genre and typical bombastic Hollywood tent-pole fare. Pacific Rim
has plenty of bloat and bombast, mind you. But it’s in the service of a
wondrously geeky story that throws all logic and seriousness to the wind,
transporting the viewer to a realm of childlike popcorn escapism no matter
their age. A dense and breathless prologue dumps us into the near-future
global warfare of Kaiju vs. Jaeger. Kaiju are reptilian monstrosities that
emerge from deep in the sea through a portal that leads to a world where
Kaijus are systematically bred to destroy. They annihilate coastal cities and
claim millions of lives before the world’s citizens band together to fight
back. The humans build fantastic robots called Jaegers (German for fighters)
that are able to vanquish the early Kaiju enemies by employing “pilots” who
drive the mechanized behemoths in pairs, joining minds in a process known as
the Drift. But as the years go by, the war has taken a toll on the humans and
the Jaegers, both of whom are nearly defeated. From beginning to end there’s
really no point in asking questions or trying to calculate details about the
outrageous goings-on in the world of Pacific Rim. This is a pure thrill ride
ruled by del Toro, the wild visual flair of his artistry and his sheer delight
for wallowing in tropes and genre chestnuts leading at full volume. The cast
is mainly window dressing for the astounding computer images. The pilots
Charlie Hunnam, Max Martini, Rob Kazinsky, and Rinko Kikuchi are merely types.
The same goes for Idris Elba, but his glowering presence as the unwavering
commander is the best real-life thing about Pacific Rim. A pair of nerdy
scientists (Charlie Day and Burn Gorman) add to the plot (simple as it is),
though their primary purpose is wacky comic relief. Del Toro favorite and
Hellboy himself, Ron Perelman steals his few short scenes as a bootlegger in
Kaiju corpses. His character says a lot about the movie’s self-effacing
attitude. Pacific Rim is deeply in cahoots with itself over the ridiculousness
of the story, but also delights in the awesomeness of its invention. The
action is both coherent and mind-blowing, which is why most people will find
it such a kick. Just like driving a Jaeger, throw your head into the battle
and hang on. –Ted Fry

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
• Format: Multiple Formats, NTSC, Ultraviolet
• Contributor: Guillermo del Toro, Burn Gorman, Idris Elba, Clifton Collins Jr., Rob Kazinsky, Max Martini, Thomas Tull, Clifton Collins, Jr., Rinko Kikuchi, Callum Greene, Mary Parent, Ron Perlman, Travis Beacham, Jon Jashni, Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day See more
• Language: English, Spanish, French
• Runtime: 2 hours and 11 minutes
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.6 x 5.4 x 7.5 inches; 3.2 Ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ WHV1000318101DVD
• Director ‏ : ‎ Guillermo del Toro
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, NTSC, Ultraviolet
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 11 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ October 15, 2013
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Rob Kazinsky
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish