Thoughts on Pacific Rim

I know I'm late to the party, and probably most of what I'm saying has already been said anyways. I just want to get it off my chest.

I think it is only fair to judge a work by the goals it declares itself to have. Pacific Rim declares through the voices of its narrators and heroes, to attempt to unite the different peoples of the earth against the disasters that are threatening to destroy its planet. Disasters that take the shape of giant monsters, but which are a product of pollution and environmental destruction.

The first half hour of the film also seems to step towards its goal in a quite exciting way. The very fact that characteristically Japanese genres as kaiju, mecha and tokusatsu is being respawned by a Mexican director in Hollywood into such a self-conscious tribute is already of notice. Whereas other productions would turn it into a cheap parody, Del Toro treats the topic with unusual detail. Even in Japan tokusatsu and kaiju have always had a certain "B-Series" style and quality, and only animated mecha has achieved to give the genre self-respect and seriousness. In any case, the question whether it even makes any sense to give giant war machines anthropomorphic shape is a necessary suspension of disbelief for every story in the genre.

The consequence of this first cultural crossing is that the action has to relate both to its Japanese referrals and to US public, and therefore actually unites both fronts, inside the story and in its aesthetics. But it even goes further, since the connection has already decentered the action, and thus immediately China, Australia and Russia are also drawn into focus. In fact, the scene is set neither in NY nor in LA. It is in Hong Kong where the world comes together after the central governments have decided that the salvation of humanity is too expensive and that they cannot change their standpoint, even if it is evidently absurd. Thus the resistance unites the most diverse people against the established center, which would rather keep them apart and deliver them to pointless destruction. The psychic connection which takes place between the Jaeger pilots (evidently a heritage from Shin Seiki Evangelion), only takes this cross-cultural connection a step further, especially in the case of Raleigh and Mako.


This is how the first half hour of the movie appears brilliant, even without requiring an elaborate or original plot. However, in the first centrally staged combat, everything changes. Non-US characters are butchered off instantly, rendering their lifes worthless. Now, again, the only ones who can save the world are the American kid Raleigh, and his American Marshall Pentecost, and the American hero Chuck and his American daddy, with their American dog, and the couple of awkward but American scientists, assisted by the (strangely enough) American born triad leader Chau. The only remaining character that would give this vista a little diversity would be Mako, still in a central point, after all.

The case of Mako, however, is actually since her first appearance a typical Butterfly-Pocahontas situation. Not only has this exotic girl been tutored by an American officer, but it is her destiny to get, mentally and physically, saved and exploited by the young American colonist. As typically oriental she is represented as shy, needy and submissive, an image which has since colonial times worked as a synecdoche, projecting upon an individual what is expected of the entire culture.

This situation taints the Pentecost's speech for the final battle in an entirely different colour. He still speaks about humanity getting together to confront its daemons, although this "humanity" is now only represented by the USA. It is once again the US (and its most submissive vassal) who can represent the whole of humanity and act in its name. The peoples of the earth are united, although under American banner and command.

I have the slight feeling that some of the work and investment rumored to have been prepared decades ago for an Hollywood movie on Evangelion ended up going into this. This would be the lesser evil, since the creator's own Rebuild movies have already wasted the name of the original Evangelion anyway. Making a tribute which is at least partially enjoyable is still easier to digest than an appropriative remake which could never stand up to the original. It is precisely a love-hate relationship towards Del Toro's movie which makes it most urgent to me to write about it.