Capsule Summary (minimal spoilers):

Pacific Rim Uprising is a sequel to the original Pacific Rim film from 2013.  It takes place 10 years after the final battle of that movie. The world is rebuilding, but slowly. Everyone’s still on edge, waiting for the Kaiju’s return, but so far, things are quiet on that front.

I definitely enjoyed myself with this sequel. Giant Jaegers (robots) fighting humongous monsters is such a silly  concept that you have to regard it as just a popcorn film, not to be taken seriously. This movie’s aware of it, and has a little fun at times. There’s a silly internet meme that shows up out of nowhere, and it’s just so absurd that it really made me laugh.

The runtime of the film is 1:51, so it takes a little while with the story, but not too much. There is a little scene as the credits start, and some robot animations as they roll, but nothing afterward.

The first movie made rather good use of 3D, so I opted to see the sequel in 3D also. It’s not as good for that, so don’t feel it’s necessary to see the film that way.

I do recommend the film.

Main Review:

Nations are rebuilding, and things are going back to the way they were. Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), son of the commander of the Jaeger pilots, lives outside society. Many of the areas devastated by the Kaiju attacks are still a chaotic place, discarded by the nations who are focusing elsewhere. “Better to live in half a (destroyed) mansion rather than a crappy apartment,” he says as the film starts. He’s decided to live in that world, amongst the scavengers and  criminals, who barter to survive.

While on a hunt for Jaeger parts, he is arrested, along with a young girl, Amara (Callee Spaeny), and re-drafted into the Jaeger force. Jake sees a lot of himself in Amara. Given who his father was, there are many expectations for what he can do.

Meanwhile, the Jaeger program is facing competition from the Shao Corporation, which is creating drones that would replace the Jaegers. They’re much easier to control. and can be deployed everywhere. As the decision is being made to use the drones or not, an unusual attack occurs, and it causes a new kind of chaos. Not good, not good at all.

There are a few twists in the story from there, and it had its unpredictable moments, as well as a few predictable ones, but so what?  It’s giant robots fighting monsters! What are you expecting, high art? Grab your popcorn, turn off your brain, sit back and enjoy!

Pacific Rim Uprising hits all the right marks, and has a little fun with itself along the way. I had a lot of fun at the movie.  I do recommended it, because it’s exactly what it purports to be.