'Pacific Rim' Movie Review: Visuals Recalls 'Godzilla,' Camardarie to 'Top Gun'

Jul 12, 2013 08:59 AM EDT

Science fiction film "Pacific Rim" that recalled scenes from 'Godzilla,' 'Iron Man,' and 'Matrix' was released on Friday in theaters with positive receptions for its visual effects of fights between building-sized sea aliens and giant robots and the in-depth portray of human relationships.

'Pacific Rim' pulled in $3.6 million in late night screenings yesterday, according to a Hollywood.com Box-Office.

Phil Centrino, an analyst with Boxoffice.com, forecasts $135 million for the full run in U.S. and Canadian theaters, saying favorable reviews make it possible the number might go higher. Success may hinge on revenue outside U.S., he said.

Out of 188 reviews, the film received a film score of 72% with an average rating of 6.8 out of 10, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Metacritic gives a rating of 65 out of 100 based on reviews from 46 critics, which indicates “generally favorable” reviews.

In a tweet, Rapper Kanye West said the film’s picture is “one of my favorite movies of all time.”

Pacific Rim was directed by Guillermo del Toro, written by del Toro and Travis Beachman, and starring Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Rob Kazinsky, Max Martini, and Ron Perlman.

With the dark setting and emphasis on characters in “Pacific Rim,” Del Toro said he was trying to avoid making a typical summer action film.

“I wanted to make a movie that differentiated itself from anything else,” Del Toro said at the June 18 briefing. “I didn’t want the movie to look or feel like an action movie of the summer, you know, soldiers kicking ass, basically looking like a car commercial or recruitment commercial for the Army.”

Set in 2020s, the film’s plot begins when Earth is under attack by Kaiju, colossal monsters which have emerged from a portal on the ocean floor, resulting in a war that takes millions of lives and quickly consumes humanity’s resources. In a united effort, mankind creates massive robot called Jaegers, which are controlled by two pilots whose minds are joined by a neural link which lets them share the mental strain which would overwhelm the single pilot. Focusing on the war’s later days, the story follows Raleigh Becket, a washed-up Jaeger pilot called out of retirement and teamed with rookie pilot Mako Mori in a last-ditch effort to defeat the Kaiju.

The film’s visual effects were worked on by Oscar winners John Knoll and Hal T. Hickel, both known for their work on the Stars Wars prequel trilogy and the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Shane Mahan, known for creating the armored suits for Iron Man, was hired on as effects supervisor.

Del Toro selected Ramin Djawadi, who is known for his work on Prison Break, Iron Man, and Game of Thrones, as the composer of the music score. Moreover, the film also featured Russian rap.

Produced by Legendary Pictures, Pacific Rim was initially expected to reach theaters in July 2012. However, film distributor Warner Bros. decided to move the film’s release date back to May 10, 2013. In March 2012, it was announced that the film would be released on July 12, 2013.