Rating : 6/10
Release Date : 12th July, 2013
Time : 132 minutes
Director, Co-Writer : Guillermo Del Toro; Co-Writer : Travis Beacham; Music : Ramin Djawadi
Starring : Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, Max Martini, Robert Kazinsky, Clifton Collins Jr. Ron Perlman, Mana Ashida, Diego Klattenhoff
Humans Vs Aliens, Hollywood version #5732
Golden Gate bridge is destroyed. Yet again (definitely the bridge to have suffered the most at the hands of Hollywood special effects
artists).
This time they, nicknamed Kaiju (Japanese word for alien), come from under the Pacific (still not clear how they got there but that’s not the only logical inconsistency). They are reptilian in nature, amphibian and out to destroy humans / habitation though not to eat or any other discernible purpose. They are conveniently, based on size etc (much like those gaming trading cards), graded into various categories – category 4 bigger than category 1 and so on…
The human response, after trying the usual tanks / aircraft / guns, is to build giant, robotic fighting machines, called Jaegers (German word for hunter, the use of the Japanese / German lingo indicating the laudable desire of the makers not to be too America-centric). These are controlled by neural contact with the humans who fit inside them. They are too big to be controlled by just one, so two humans have to connect neutrally (ie they have to be drift compatible – apparently not everyone is) and then control the Jaeger.
The battle enters different phases. And the Kaiju’s get smarter. And now it seems they are going to win…world destruction is well on nigh…and it all boils down to a few individuals manning the last few Jaegers in Hongkong…
The whole film is imbued with a rockstar feel – the pulsating musical score, the personality of the Jaeger pilots, the high levels of testosterone, the action sequences, the fights between the reptiles vs the robots. Some of the pilots have a story – one (Charlie), lost his brother. Another, a girl (Rinko) who lost her family to the Kaiju…Idris is the man who heads the pilots and the Jaeger effort, and he has his own story.
This has all the clichés – the impending apocalypse, the underdog who comes good, the conflict between the suits (politicians) and the men on the ground, the rousing speech, some scientific mumbo-jumbo and two nerds who lead the effort on that front, the ultimate sacrifice, and pilots who strut around cockily, as if they are God’s gift. It all has some cool action and a half-decent story tying it all up. Watch it only for the former…
This one beats the lot for sheer story telling mastery. Bull's eye! Its like watching the movie all over again. Scene wise depiction is incredible. Radiating a sense of authority & pulsating power. But there is also a deep wild, restlessness, a desperate yearning for something more.. "When U get there, there is no there...."
ReplyDeleteI've run out of superlatives..
U don't have to eat the entire jar of caviar to know if it's good!
I hung on till the end:)Talent is the magic key.. U can't buy it & u can't fake it. U have to b born with it. You've got it all... maverick... elite opulence with words.. Well as regards the movie is concerned, I found they were trying to take Transformers to another level. Am not totally into boys with toys , sci-fi action... The calling card undoubtedly was the tailor-made visual extravaganza... Big isn't necessarily banal & brainless...
Wonder how you would describe the One scene from the classic - When Harry Met Sally.. Meg emotes with her eyes.. U'll go into gales of laughter watching it. Enjoy !
This is cool!
ReplyDeletewell this movie was amazing... I don't understand why people didn't like it... They told everyone its Robots fighting Monsters and anyone who was expecting anything else is a fool...
ReplyDeleteThis movie delivered in all the action sequences at least China understands movies better, it crossed $100 million mark there a few days back...
gonna buy this on Blu-ray