Generally speaking, when the opening voiceover in a movie include the phrase, “Giant monsters attacked our world,” I feel pretty good about things.
Probably the result of a misspent youth. A good monster movie is right in my comfort zone, which is why “Pacific Rim: Uprising” is a disappointment, despite getting off to a decent start.
It’s been 10 years since the events of 2013’s “Pacific Rim,” in which monsters from beneath the sea, called Kaiju, destroyed many coastal cities. Mankind’s only defense was to build huge robots, called Jaegers, guided by skilled pilots.
The hero of that movie — amazingly named Stacker Pentecost — met a heroic end. Now, his son Jack (John Boyega, from the “Star Wars” galaxy) avoids his father’s footsteps by raiding old broken-down Jaegers for the black-market trade. You can understand his bitterness, not having been given as cool a name as “Stacker.”
Jake’s piloting skills are needed when Kaiju raise their ugly faces again. Called back to Jaeger academy with a young, crafty recruit (Cailee Spaeny), he reunites with his adopted sister (Rinko Kikuchi, returning from “Pacific Rim”) and an old classmate (Scott Eastwood, Clint’s son).
There’s time for some bantering and “Top Gun”-style horseplay before the Kaiju creep back into the picture. It’s a workable set-up, and the flippant Boyega and the square-jawed Eastwood get a passable affectionate-rivalry thing going.
Two oddball scientists from the first film, played by Charlie Day and Burn Gorman, are also around. They end up playing a large role in the action — Day has a great sequence, returning home to his wife after a long day at the laboratory, that uncorks a twisted punch line.
In placing part of the set-up in China, and making the heroes answerable to Chinese bosses, the film might be working a wry metaphor. Hollywood increasingly relies on Chinese funding and the Chinese market, which is why expensive movies like this need to be simple enough to play to audiences all over the world.
Director Steven S. DeKnight is mostly known for TV work, and he’s following in big footsteps himself: The 2013 film was directed by recent Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro. After its enjoyable first hour, “Uprising” descends into a series of giant robot fights, which are as numbing here as they are in most “Transformers” movies.
At least the final showdown is set in Tokyo, conjuring up memories of old “Godzilla” flicks. The technology here is light-years beyond that, but actual monster-movie magic is in short supply.
“Pacific Rim: Uprising” (2 stars)
A sequel in which the monstrous Kaiju return to bother humanity, and the giant robots called Jaegers are once again pressed into service. After an OK opening hour, this one falls into just another series of giant-robot fights, as numbing as any “Transformers” movie. With John Boyega, Scott Eastwood.
Rating: PG-13, for violence
Showing: Alderwood, Alderwood Mall, Cinebarre Mountlake Terrace, Everett Stadium, Galaxy Monroe, Marysville, Olympic Theater, Meridian, Oak Tree, Pacific Place, Seattle 10, Thornton Place Stadium, Woodinville, Cascade Mall, Oak Harbor Plaza
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