Why I Saw It: This is one of those internet buzz movies that fanboys and the like have been talking up for so long that I felt required to see.
Cast: Charlie Hunnam is not the most charismatic lead out there: something I already knew from Sons of Anarchy. But, he certainly looks the part of action hero and plays everything very earnestly. Idris Elba is one of those actors who is always on the fringe of stardom and I'm not sure why he can't make the leap. He's asked to be a stern and authoritative presence in this and that is something he has no trouble pulling off. I was impressed with Rinko Kikuchi, who I'd only seen in Babel before this, for being able to pull off both nervous rookie and asskicker when asked to. Charlie Day and Burn Gorman are excellent comic relief with their own brands of humor that play off each other well. Then there's Ron Perlman who, well, you know what to expect with him by now and it works in this.
Plot: There's no way I can sell you on the plot. It's robots fighting monsters that are sent through a portal from another planet, dimension, or something (I'm not sure). That's it. If hearing that is enough to deter you, that sucks for you because this movie is a celebration of the kid in all of us. I was positively giddy throughout. It's fucking monsters fighting god-damn robots! How can you not like that?
Visual Effects: This movie looks fantastic. That was the main thing I heard about it going in so I went and found the biggest screen I could to watch it and it was worth every 3-D inflated penny. There are some movies that pull off scope well. Inception did it with the dream world sequences. Avatar, despite it's other weaknesses, pulls it off. Pacific Rim is stupid good with them. The monster are huge. The robots are huge. In the movie, the look huge. It is very impressive. Also, the world of the movie is stunningly lived in. This is not a clean future. If this is how a big budget Guillermo del Toro movie looks then give this man whatever budget he asks for because he is putting it to good use.
Elephant in the Room: What you are describing is a kid's movie. I don't see what's in it for me. Ok. First of all, you are dead inside. Second, I understand. This movie struck me as Cowboys & Aliens: a movie that is tough to sell in a 30-second TV spot (and that's where that comparison should stop). You pretty much have to sit your ass in the movie theater to appreciate what this movie has to offer.
To Sum Things Up:
If there is any justice in this world, this will be one of the biggest hits of the year. It is without a doubt the best action movie I've seen this year. Sure, it has so glaring some flaws (primarily in laws of physics) but I enjoyed it enough that I don't really care to talk about them and risk deterring anyone from watching it. I strongly urge anyone who is on the fence to go ahead and see it (find the biggest screen you can too and the 3-D looks really good so don't be deterred by that).
Verdict (?): Strongly Recommend
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