[SPLIT LIP]

The movie wasn't hard to follow at all in 3D, in fact I think the 3D was excellent and I don't even like 3D. (AND I found out it's post-converted. WTH?) I only bought the 3D since the 2D showing wasn't convenient. My mum was watching it with me (she loves these kinds of movies) and she could make out everything just fine unlike, well, a lot of films with this level of action. Even the final underwater battle, she recognised the difference between Scunner and Raiju. (but didn't know who was named who)

This movie exceeded expectations. The story wasn't a novella, but it was solid and well-done beyond what most non-action movies even do these days. Deffinately a tale worth telling and not just a vehicle for fights to happen. Survival against increasingly adverse odds plus character backstory and EXCELLENT world-building. And I mean excellent. The way the Kaiju work, the way the world reacts. So genuine. All the characters were well-done, even the punk Chuck who managed to redeem himself and, again, in a genuine way. Mako was probably my favourite, and her flashback to Onibaba was really, really well done.

Plus on top of it all, every scene felt perfect. There will be no fast-forwarding to action scenes when I get this. But man, what action. All clear, are fluid, and really, really intense. You literally felt like you were there and experiencing everything the characters were. The Hong Kong fight was ludicrous and Gipsy Danger is awesome. I seriously have a hard time pinning down anything this movie actually did wrong, or even not "well." It was a very well-crafted, well-realised story. Nothing felt truely lacking or poorly-concieved. It all felt, well, perfect for the story.

The only things I would change is give Coyote Tango, Cherno Alpha and the boss aliens more screentime. In regards to the latter, not even that much more, just a few more scenes showing them building Kaiju. But more time for those two Jaegers. (though I'm glad Strker was so prominent since I thought GD would be the all-around star) But really, it's a small thing when you realise the only reason they probably weren't exposed was because the movie would be close to three hours if we got to see them fight before their last battle.

I am more than stoked that this movie exists. I.e. that it not only was made, but is this good and well-realised. This will go down in history, no doubt, as a proud moment in Toku history on both the giant robot side of things and the Diakaiju side. That those genres were so so well adapted and realised stateside with such love and respect and just a genuine want to not reimagine, not put a new spin on, but simply take what people love and make it better-looking and better-realised. And yet for all it's homage and inspiration taken and respects paid, it manages to be it's own. That is something I wouldn't think possible, especially these days.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paladin

But if I had to pick one element I liked best it would be the treatment of Mako. Any other action movie probably would've gone through the cliche "She can't pilot because she's a girl" plot point, but for the entire time onscreen Mako is shown honest respect and serious development. Its so rare for action films to have well-rounded female characters these days and Del Toro pulled it off.

Or conversly she's an unstoppable badass of course motivated by some selfconcious issue who shows no signs of weakness until a man takes her by the waist and they make out at literally the most inappropriate time in the film.

Mako and "RAH-LAY" (that was pretty funny, too) never even kissed. Hell, there wasn't even anything expressly romantic. Just an intensly strong bond that is more complex than "you pretty me want kiss you." When they just hugged when it was all over, that felt more emotional than any fish-fighting lip-smacking toughe-grabbing... what were we talking about?

You have no idea how impressed I am at this level of restraint by Hollywood. Really made both characters seem a lot deeper than most protagonists than is typical... or even some of the atypical.