Review of Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) by Devaughn B — 16 Apr 2018

I am not really a fan of the first Pacific Rim. Its performances for the most part, the story, and the loud, obnoxious action sequences, but Idris Elba's performance I still love. John Boyega's character plays his son, and his performance is just fine. I have so many issues with this film. The story is nothing but nonsense, the written dialogue is absolutely terrible, and the direction during the few action sequences is so messy. Charlie Day's character and his story arc come as a surprise, but that's only because it's just so bizarre and becomes so quickly uninteresting. The film briefly attempts to introduce a message of the tech industry taking jobs from hardworking people by replacing them with unmanned machines. And then that's gone.

There is so much stuff happening in this film and it is all rushed to fit this less than 2-hour run time. I'm not disappointed the studio didn't allow more time with this story, but wow this thing did not try to take its time. We know the only reason we even have this film now is because the overseas market dumps trucks of money into them. As with the worst of the Transformers films, this film is just here to be part of a franchise, to grab some quick cash, and give people some explosions with giant mechs punching other giant mechs and monsters in the face. And honestly, if you go to check out this film for that reason, there's not even enough of it! Skip this one and wait to catch it on cable. Or don't bother with it all, ever - that works too.