Pacific Rim Uprising Review

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD…

We received free screening tickets in order to write this review. All opinions are my own. A couple of nights ago I was able to take my son and go see the new Pacific Rim Uprising movie that is coming out in theaters this weekend. I have been a long time fan of the first Pacific Rim, so I was more than a little ready to see the second one. The previews have done a great job of teasing a movie that is undoubtedly fantastic. My only disappointment from the first Pacific Rim movie was that Stacker Pentecost (played by Idris Elba) was killed off. Going into Pacific Rim Uprising I was skeptical about them being able to “fill the shoes” of this character, but John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) does a remarkable job as Jake Pentecost (Stacker’s son), picking up where his dad left off (10 years in the future).

Jake Pentecost, who abandons his training as a Jaeger pilot after his father is killed, becomes caught up in a criminal underworld selling old used Jaeger parts and Kaiju technology. While attempting to pull off a high-risk heist, of a very rare and expensive Jaeger part, he crosses paths with Amara (played by Cailee Spaeny). One of my favorite parts of the entire beginning of the movie is when he meets Amara, and she has built her own Jaeger, which is absolutely incredible and will eventually play a key role in the entire outcome of the movie.

Jake eventually rejoins the PPDC and works alongside Amara and rival pilot Lambert (The Fate of the Furious’ Scott Eastwood) to work together and bring down the Kaiju. I was glad to see that Herman Gottlieb (played by Burn Gorman) and Dr. Newton Geiszler (played by Charlie Day) return for the second film. Jakes sister Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) helps him get one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy. She is leading a new generation of pilots and saves Jake from prison so that he can join the PPDC. Their only hope is uniting together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.

I have to add a small spoiler:  As a mysterious organization reopens a breach for the kaiju, the kaiju find a way to evolve and become even more than what they appear to be; which also involves my favorite battle between a rogue Jaeger, Obsidian Fury, and Gypsy Avenger piloted by Jake Pentecost and Nate Lambert.

The movie exceeded my expectations especially when the movie ended and my 8-year-old boy turned to me and said: “That was AWESOME!”  I don’t think I could have described it any better myself.