Loud robots vs. monsters movie could have used more heart.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Language
some
Language includes a couple of uses of "s--t," plus "bitch" (or "son of a bitch"), "ass," "bastard," "goddamn," "hell," "damn," "oh my God," and "for Christ's sake."
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The many fight scenes between the giant robots and giant monsters have lots of punching, smashing, extremely loud destruction of property (including the near-complete annihilation of cities), and collateral loss of life, but they're mostly bloodless. One important (albeit minor) character dies. In one sequence, a character has trouble with "the drift," and viewers see some somewhat scary flashbacks to her as a young girl, chased and terrified by monsters. Fights between pilots being tested for compatibility, plus another fist fight. Constant peril. A character suffers nosebleeds.
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During the prologue, there's a sequence in which the Jaegers become popular as cultural icons/consumer objects. (Toys from this movie could become just as popular.)
Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
The main character (a man) is shown shirtless more than once. In one scene, a female character breathlessly admires him. The male and female leads banter, fight, and bond over the course of the movie in a mostly non-sexual way. At the end, they share an almost kiss (but not quite).
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The movie promotes the idea of different cultures coming together for a common cause; in general, characters tend to face fears and go up against terrible odds for the greater good. The movie's most interesting idea is "the drift," in which two people must join minds and sync up in order to control the giant robots together; it's the ultimate metaphor for teamwork.
Positive Role Models
some
Some of the characters are cocky and obnoxious, but the main characters are strong, brave, and noble, fighting against impossible odds and employing teamwork. There's a strong, savvy female character, and two scientists are shown to be smart and heroic, even if they're also silly and ridiculous.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Pacific Rim is a giant monsters vs. giant robots movie from Oscar-nominated director Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth). Fighting and violence are the film's biggest issues, though the huge, loud clashes are more about punching, pummeling, and the rampant destruction of property than bloodshed (the only blood shown is in the form of a bloody nose). One minor but key character dies. There's a romantic connection between a male and female character, but their bonding is mostly non-sexual (aside from a scene in which she breathlessly looks at his naked chest). Language is infrequent but includes a couple of uses of words like "s--t," "bitch," and "goddamn." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Dull characters and disturbing alien dismemberment
Boring characters fighting glowing cgi aliens with glowing cgi, unoriginal, robots. Lots of aliens being torn/cut/burned to pieces in full view; a disturbing scene where an alien fetus tears its way out of its mother, strangles itself in its own umbilical cord, and then is used for 'comedic relief' at the end when a character cuts his way out of its corpse.
Aliens have blue glowing blood and 'alien' organs. It's not exactly gory the normal way, but it's still quite horrific.
A lot of ideas which would appeal to children, but the violence might be a bit much.
Pacific rim is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to the unspoken PG-13 Rule that there can be ludicrous amounts of violence as long as the blood isn't red. The Official review on this website dramatically low balls the level of violence in this movie.
Violence: The giant monsters in this movie are shown no mercy throughout. They are beaten, shot to death and cut apart with swords. One scene shows a creature's corpse being repeatedly shot until it is nothing more than a smoldering mess of organs and broken bones. The main reason this didn't boost the film to an R-rating is that the beasts' blood isn't red, but rather a neon aqua marine. This does make their violent demises less realistic, but it doesn't make the injuries they suffer feel any less painful. There are also some moments of human violence. One scene depicts a man spitting blood as he is punched in the face. another man briefly has a switchblade shoved up his nose. This doesn't cause any major visible injury, but it is uncomfortable to watch. During their battles, some of the robot pilots die. There are a few sad moments where main characters react to seeing their friends get killed. The robot pilots seem to feel pain corresponding with the damage their machines receive.
Positive messages and role models: The cast is pretty diverse, portraying both genders and several races as equal. The main character, and several supporting members of the cast are coping with tragic pasts, and bond over their shared pain. There is a general message about working together in the face of hardship. This is expressed in several ways, mainly through the friendship the two leads develop over the course of the film, but also through how the film handles the conflict between other characters who are at odds. During moments of tension, characters put aside petty squabbles to save their own lives. Also, the film portrays all of the worlds major countries as working together towards a single goal
Sexuality: Nothing too serious, but there are a few slightly suggestive moments. Most notably, there is one scene where an attractive man is seen shirtless, and a woman stares at him for a few moments. At one point, a man and a woman exchange a very passionate hug, but it's unclear if this was supposed to be seen as romantic.
What's the Story?
In the future, giant monsters (the Kaiju) arrive from another dimension, emerging through a fissure in the ocean floor along the PACIFIC RIM. After much destruction, the humans figure out a way to fight them: giant robots (called Jaegers). But these Jaegers are so complex that they must be piloted by two people, mind-melded together (a phenomenon called "the drift"). One such pilot, Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam), barely survived a Kaiju attack that killed his brother; he wants nothing more to do with Jaegers. But his old boss, Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba), needs him back for one, last big attack. And tough, pretty Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) may have some influence in Raleigh's decision as well. But can scientists discover the secret of the Kaiju in time?
This movie is so big and loud that the characters are eventually stifled, none more so than the two romantic leads (Hunnam and Kikuchi). The great, visionary director Guillermo Del Toro has always loved monsters, but his previous movies (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) have demonstrated a taste for the intricate as well -- in particular, clockwork and mazes. In Pacific Rim, anything intricate or delicate has been obliterated.
Interestingly, Del Toro showers special attention on the comical scientist characters, played by Charlie Day and Burn Gorman. It's likely that he identified with their passion for monsters. Likewise, Del Toro's favorite actor, Ron Perlman, appears in a showy, hilarious role as a black market monster parts dealer. Not surprisingly, the battles and effects are spectacular, making clear use of space and creating a sense of size and weight -- unlike the clumsy, shaky Transformers movies. It could have used more heart, but Pacific Rim gets the job done.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Pacific Rim's violence. Does it have the same kind of impact as more realistic fighting/destruction? Could the movie have succeeded with less violence?
Director Del Toro has said he wanted to make a "movie for kids." Did he succeed? Which parts seem right for kids, and which don't?
What's admirable about the main characters? How about the scientist characters? Are any of them role models?
The movie uses an international cast, is set all over the world, and is about different cultures coming together for a common cause. How does it succeed in this message? Does it use any stereotypes?
How did teamwork help the characters realize their goal? If you'd been part of the team, which character(s) would you have wanted to work with? Why?
MPAA explanation:
sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief language
Last updated:
June 7, 2024
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By Jeffrey M. Anderson
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