Guillermo del Toro does B-movies proud, in a big way.
The acting isn't too shabby. Hunnam does a good job in the lead role, even with the dramatic weight given to him. Kikuchi is pretty awesome as his partner, and shows just the right amount of emotion for her character. Elba proves once again he can handle a character with dignity and strength, delivering a mother of a speech that sets the robots into motion. ("Today we are CANCELLING the apocalypse!") Finally, Perlman and Day are fun to have around, and share some pretty good laughs together. (By the way, be sure to stick around during the closing credits for one more surprise.)
Though the story gets cheesy at times – the ending could probably be seen from a mile away emotionally – and there are lulls here and there, Pacific Rim delivers the kind of good time vibes that have been sorely missing from monster movies over the years. Sure, it's loud and big, but that's the point – del Toro zeros in on that strength and really makes it work for the movie. Grab a bucket of popcorn and indulge in the greatness.
The monster-loving kid in you is going to eat this up.
Score: 9 / 10
