Pacific Rim: Some spoilers below

[elle_white]

 I saw Pacific Rim today! I enjoyed it a lot. When you watch the film, it's clear that Del Toro wanted to fill this movie with as many awesome cliches as possible. It's a cheesy robot movie, but it's a really, really good cheesy robot movie! 

 The plot, setting and fights are riddled with cliches, but they're done in a way that makes the film endearing and fun to watch. The fights between the alien monsters and the robots in particular were charmingly and amazingly ridiculous. For example, the moment where a sword wielding mecha fights a space monster in the middle of a city. This movie is a nerd's dream come true! 

The characters were all well done. Although the obligatory white, male protagonist was mostly bland, the partnership he develops with Mako is wonderful and refreshing. He deeply respects her, and she is never reduced to a passive love interest for him. 

Speaking of Mako, I loved her character deeply, she's such a wonderful character! A well developed woc in an action movie who gets her own character arc and is really badass. That's sadly very rare for a mainstream film! I knew before going into the film, people said she was weak, and a terrible feminist character, but that's just not true. I think it's because many Hollywood movies create "strong female characters." So many women in action films are valued for their strength and capabilities, but are not as well developed as the male characters. They often support the conflicted male hero trying to find his way. However, Mako is physically capable and determined, but she's also vulnerable and flawed. In other words, she's a well-rounded character who feels like a person. I very much agree with this  post. I think Mako is definitely an "interesting woman." It seems we're so used to seeing women presented as "strong," that we dismiss interesting and well-rounded women. 

And Idris Elba was fantastic.This man is perfect in everything I've seen him in. I was spoiled for his character dying, but it was still very affecting, especially Mako's line. Ugh, their relationship! 

Oh, and I didn't know Ron Perlman was going to be in this film. He was ... interesting. But why did the last shot the movie have to be him cutting his way out of a space alien, and wondering where shoe was? That was rather weird and anti-climactic. Odd use of your Ron Perlman, there. 

Sadly, there aren't as many poc in the film as I thought there would be. I'd hoped the triplets would have had more screen time. I don't even remember them getting any lines! Also, I wish they hadn't called the robot Gypsy Danger. That's a terrible name.

So overall, I thought the film was really awesome. It was a great action flick with well done characters and badass fight scenes.