2013 saw the release of perhaps one of the most epic films that has graced international cinema in recent years. Now, the trailer for its sequel promises a movie more than able to rival its predecessor.
The original Pacific Rim was a smorgasbord of mind-blowingly epic giant robots fighting against some of the most imaginative aliens I have ever seen, and featured what Time Out reviewer Keith Uhlich called the “pure, pleasurable comic-book absurdity” that has become part and parcel of Guillermo del Toro’s recent work. It was praised by The Hollywood Reporter as being “everything that monster movies since the beginning of time might have wished they could be”. Its sequel, due in February 2018, promises to be equally epic.
The teaser trailer, premiered at San Diego Comic Con, already looks amazing. A robotic voice (GLaDOS, is that you?) introduces the new models of Jaeger robots as the newest evolution of “the most powerful global defence force in human history”, featuring slick, cutting-edge visuals that would be at home in an advert for the newest model Audi or Jaguar.
Both website and trailer seem to project themselves as part of a recruitment drive for the Jaeger program, and feature the talents of Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), the (assumed) son of Marshall Stacker Pentecost. The website shows the blueprints of various Jaeger models, including the Gipsy Avenger, an upgraded version of Gipsy Danger and “flagship leader of the Mark VI fleet”.
“With no global threat to unite in the face of, humanity would instead turn to squabbling amongst themselves”
But what does all this mean? The trailer makes no mention of the Kaiju danger, and the website simply mentions that “when the Kaiju threat returns, we shall be ready”. Pacific Rim: Uprising will, perhaps, feature one of two situations: either the return of the Kaiju through another breach, or a fight of another kind, one between Jaegers, and therefore between humans.
I would venture that with no Kaiju threat to occupy themselves with, nations have instead turn to one-upping each other within the “global defence force” they have created. With no global threat to unite in the face of, humanity would instead turn to squabbling amongst themselves – though perhaps there will be a Kaiju thrown into the mix somewhere in the film, just to add a little extra excitement.
Pacific Rim: Uprising already promises to be a remarkable film, even if it relies heavily on its style and flair rather than its substance. With a star-studded cast and a remarkable production team behind it, I am incredibly excited about the next film, and am eager to see what the franchise has in store for us next.
Ellen Smithies
Follow @ImpactMagazine on Twitter or like the Impact Entertainment Facebook page for more articles and information on how to get involved.
