Eahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhr! (Supposed to be the Godzilla roar)

Rating: 9/10 (17 May 2014)

This was one film I really wanted to see this year thanks to be shrouded in such secrecy. It could really enhance the film experience or ruin it. In a way, while I still enjoyed this film, it did kind of both.
I will try not to spoil this film but what the trailers hinted at is that this movie takes place in a world where monsters exist. And given that zombies have taken over pop culture, Pacific Rim really needs some backup.
The plot basically starts out with Heisenberg trying to figure out the truth behind an incident which he witnessed and that leads to the revelation that monsters exist. However Malcolm's dad isn't the central protagonist of this film, he actually gets cut short of screen time. Thats what happens when you get the 'and' label in the opening credits. However the amount of screen time he had, it was either go hard or go home, and he put his Breaking Bad chops into play.
Actually the central protagonist is Kick Ass, and really? He's too damn young or at least too young looking to play a high ranking military guy and family man. Just because he's married to a lady twice his age doesn't mean he can play mature roles. And he's basically has a Brad Pitt World War Z story arc, trying to reconnect with his wife, a good looking Olsen sister I didn't know exist. There is Saito, who plays the scientist researching the monsters and has some pretty questionable philosophical views. And there are way too man expendable characters.
I've been talking about the actors too much and that's because the movie focuses on the humans. Which is good story telling because it's easier to be invested in the story, just like the Walking Dead. But let's be honest, aren't we here to see monsters scrap? Well we kind of do but there's way too much buildup. Whenever we do see monsters finally come on screen the first couple of times it immediately cuts to the aftermath. You get serious blue balls. Eventually it does pay off, not the way you hope but it has some insanely cool moments.
The imagery of this film, wow. Remember that 1998 Roland Emmerich film? Yea that's a Disney film, with all the markings of a pre-9/11 light hearted romp. This film has such beautiful but shockingly dark and brooding imagery. When the carnage and destruction takes place, it's a little disturbing but jaw dropping at the same time. It basically recaptures the sense of atmosphere by the original 1954 Ishiro Honda picture.
This movie also has a not-so-subtle anti-nuclear power and weapons theme. Come on, Hollywood why do you keep demonizing something that you clearly don't fully understand? Nuclear energy is clean and renewable, and if disposed of properly the waste decays in time without doing much harm. And nuclear weapons while scary, will always be used as deterrents and not as actual weapons.
In the end this film is a very solid effort. You will find yourself, like me, nitpicking the crap out of it, but still enjoying it. It is not disappointing at all like the 1998 movie and it manages to capture its tone really well.