7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse.
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron PerlmanAction | 100% |
Adventure | 87% |
Sci-Fi | 78% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Thai: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Greek, Indonesian, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Thai
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (3 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
There is a time and a place for a frank but thoughtful critique of a veteran filmmaker's love letter to genre cinema. There's also a time and a place to geek out, cast off adulthood, fully embrace the rock-em sock-em joy of a wildly entertaining and ludicrously action-packed summer spectacle, and laugh, clap and cheer like a ten-year-old fanboy attending his first Comic-Con; and it's here and now.Pacific Rim might just be the most fun you'll have with a movie all year... or a gigantic waste of time, depending on how willing you are to embrace it on its own terms. It's certainly one of the most unapologetically joyous genre-splosions in recent memory, and a film with aspirations as enormous as its scale. Make no mistake, though: director Guillermo del Toro hasn't crafted a film for everyone. Nor did he set out to. He's crafted yet another fearless passion project in a career bursting at the seams with 'em, and it's one helluva a masterfully designed, visually enthralling crowd pleaser. Critics may balk at the ham-fisted dialogue. And yes, it's there. Cinephiles may bemoan the cast's performances and the film's comicbook sensibilities. There's not much of a defense to mount. A few wayward del Toro fans may even shrug their shoulders altogether. It's all at once fully del Toro and unlike anything the Hellboy-helmer has done before.
But for those whose eyes widen during every Kaiju attack, for those who grin uncontrollably with every Jaeger battle, for those who marvel at the film's sprawling cityscapes, dazzling destruction and massive bot-bunkers, and, more importantly, for all those faithful fans willing to let go and let del Toro, Pacific Rim will be something else entirely: an absolute blast.
Straight from the mouth of del Toro: "For action, adventure and genre cinema, I'm now a converted fan of 3D. I asked [Legendary Pictures] for the complete control of the 3D. I asked them for forty weeks or so to get the 3D conversion -- it usually takes just eight to twelve weeks -- and they agreed. As I'm a complete control freak, we achieved a 3D conversion that I think people will be very happy with it. It's now my favorite format for the vision of this movie, but I don't think 3D is for every film. If you can watch Pacific Rim in 3D, make sure to watch it that way."
So yes, the film's 1080p/MVC-encoded 3D presentation is derived from a post-converted 3D source. But as most of you know by now, "conversion" isn't the 4-letter word it once was. Pacific Rim's 3D experience thrilled in theaters and it thrills on Blu-ray; so much so that its scant few flaws seem positively inconsequential. Depth and dimensionality is terrific, from devastated cities that spill into the distance to the Kaiju and Jaeger warriors, which loom larger than life. Blades extend outward, claws slash the screen, sparks and alien blood fly, storms swirl, buildings crumble and apocalyptic battles ensue, all in eye-popping 3D. Better still, the 3D image isn't bursting at the seams with cheap gimmicks or transparent tricks, at least not the sort that tend to yank a viewer out of a still-unfolding story. Displays that are prone to crosstalk will exhibit a small amount of background ghosting, mind you. Between the wind, rain, smoke, dust and fury of the various behemoths, there's a lot going on at any given moment, some of it being less than suited to a perfect 3D experience. Even so, significant distractions, aliasing and other issues are nowhere to be found, and the prevailing darkness of the image isn't rendered problematic by the dimness of the 3D glasses.
Pacific Rim cuts an equally stunning swath of destruction in 2D as well thanks to a separate 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer. Colors erupt on screen and pierce the night skies and shadows in dazzling displays of primary-gushing brilliance. Skintones are warm and lifelike, even when the the palette pushes in more stylized directions. Black levels are as rich as the comicbook and manga inkwork they're meant to evoke, with heavy shadows, impenetrable storms and fittingly murky sea floors. And contrast is dialed in beautifully, without much in the way of unsightly crush or overcooked, oversaturated hues. Detail is tremendously satisfying too, with wholly satisfying edge definition and crisp, precision-crafted fine textures. Closeups are striking, anomalies like ringing and shimmering are MIA, and delineation is revealing, even when Gipsy Danger takes on Kaiju in the dead of night or beneath the waters of the Pacific. Moreover, significant eyesores don't rear their ugly heads, and macroblocking and banding are held at bay. Those who comb still frames inch by inch will spot negligible artifacts lurking in the darkest, stormiest backgrounds, but very little, if any of it can be spotted when the film is in motion. This is as gorgeous as any Kaiju groupie could hope for. Whether viewed in 2D or 3D, Pacific Rim's Blu-ray presentations are hands down the best way to take in every nuance of del Toro's practical and computer-generated effects, mammoth sets, and outstanding production design.
Think Pacific Rim looks good? Wait'll you get a load of Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 and 5.1 surround tracks, a two-headed beast of a lossless monster hellbent on your home theater's complete and total subjugation. Battles roar, gears groan, Kaiju screech, rending metal screams, and explosions rock every battle scene, while a bustling, overcrowded Hong Kong cityscape attempts to survive beneath the combatants' feet. LFE output offers three sizes: big, bigger and biggest, yet never gets too unruly, overwhelming or out of control. Rear speaker activity is enveloping to the point of being engrossing, creating a fully immersive soundfield loaded with directional flourishes, ambient touches and unsettlingly smooth pans. Better still, dialogue is ever at the forefront of the chaos; always grounded, always intelligible. Voices are often overtaken by the action, but only when they're meant to be. The same goes for the chorus of effects that, at any given moment, comprise the film's absorbing sound design. Prioritization is flawless, making for both a terrific 7.1 and 5.1 experience, each of which are worthy of the "Best of 2013" chatter they're sure to invite.
It might seem like the 4-disc Blu-ray edition of Pacific Rim offers endless special features, but after partaking of del Toro's audio commentary, the rest of the supplemental package can be consumed in a little over two hours. That's still a great deal of content to plow through, of course; more than enough to warrant high marks. However, those expecting an exhaustive Prometheus-esque supplemental package -- or a feature-length production documentary -- might want to lower their expectations a bit.
American audiences may not have rushed out to see Pacific Rim in theaters, but I suspect it will enjoy a long, happy life on Blu-ray and develop a much larger following. While tentpole filmmakers are forever attempting to make their particular summer blockbusters bigger than the last, Guillermo del Toro throws down the gauntlet, delivering a thoroughly entertaining genre pic that boasts off-the-charts size, scale and spectacle. Is the dumb in the film's Big Dumb Fun a bit much? Sure, but that's part of its charm. Pacific Rim is a blast from start to finish; a blast Warner's Blu-ray release makes that much more literal with a stunning video presentation, thrilling 3D experience and thunderous DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. The 4-disc set is also armed with more than four hours of extensive special features, including a director's commentary, more than a dozen excellent Focus Point featurettes, and an entire second Blu-ray disc of additional high definition bonus content. Pacific Rim may not be the best film of the year, or even offer the best 3D on the market, but its Blu-ray release is in serious contention for "Best of 2013" honors.
2013
with Exclusive Content and Slipcover
2013
Limited Edition
2013
Bonus Content
2013
2013
with Exclusive Content
2013
2013
with Movie Money
2013
2013
Monster Mayhem! Edition
2013
with Ready Player One Movie Money
2013
with Godzilla: King of the Monsters Movie Money
2013
Iconic Moments
2013
2013
2013
2014
2017
2009
Live. Die. Repeat.
2014
2012
2013
2018
2013
2014
2013
Director's Cut
2009
2009
2015
2019
2016
2011
2016
1986
2018
25th Anniversary
1984