Guillermo del Toro does B-movies proud, in a big way.
Meanwhile, Stacker runs a lab run by two mega-nerd, Gottlieb (Burn Gorman) and the chatty Newton (Charlie Day, expressing his nerddom to the max). They want to get deeper into Kaiju logic, even going as far as trying to snag a secondary brain from seedy organs dealer Hannibal Chau (a totally game Ron Perlman).
The movie does take a little bit to get started, as the plot does need a bit of explanation before the bots get to work. However, once the action kicks in, Guillermo del Toro goes into overdrive and shows why he could whip Bay any day of the week and twice on Sunday. The action is overdrive enough to put Godzilla movies to shame – namely the 1998 train wreck – and the special effects are fantastic, with Industrial Light and Magic leading the charge. A scene where Gypsy Danger pummels into a beast using a battleship as a sword is really something to see on the big screen. See it in 3D if you can, it really does make a difference.
Sometimes the visuals can be a bit dank, especially with all the consistent rain coming down during the battle sequences. However, del Toro knows his ambience, and treats it with respect. The monsters are a sight to see, as are the robots battling against it, who whip out everything from razor hands to a fully installed metal plate missile launcher. And when one gets thrown for a loop into a freeway, sliding to a halt and running back into battle, you might just need a second to catch your breath. So good.
