In some ways, Pacific Rim is an adolescent male power trip fantasy come to life. And it’s absolutely awesome. If you like giant robots, and giants monsters, you can’t go wrong seeing this film. Excellent special effects combined with an interesting yet simple story make this an action packed, straight-up-fun movie worth seeing.

The star of the film is undoubtedly the spectacle of visual effects you’ll be treated to, but the back story is actually interesting in and of itself. Without getting too much into it ( I don’t want to spoil it for you) in the near future, monsters appear from a dimensional gap in the ocean. These giant creatures proved more than a handful for our conventional weapons so mankind creates Jaegers–giant robots that battle these demons from the deep. All that stands in the way of these behemoth creatures are the Jaegers and their pilots. It’s a very straight forward story but has more to it then you might initially think. The cast is good, it isn’t the Great Gatsby but for what is there and the subject matter, it works. There are a few laughs to be had and there are some surprising cameos from several well known actors. At least I didn’t know they were going to be in the film. Either way, they were a welcome addition.

If we’re being honest, you’re going to see this because it has giant robots in it, and that my friends is what you will get in spades. The special effects are incredible. Hollywood never ceases to amaze me with what they can do from a technical standpoint. The Jaegers look incredible. They made it look feasible by today’s technology. It doesn’t look futuristic, it’s practical and it’s what you might imagine if they actually built something like this. You cans see pistons moving, gears turning, thrusters blasting…it’s crazy how much they put into this. Even the Jaeger pilots have cool armor that they wear. The demons from the deep or Kaiju as they are called in the film, are impressive themselves, but not nearly as much as the Jaegers. They are a Godzilla like creature that comes in all different shapes and sizes. Some can fly while others are better off in the water. Either way it goes they’re cool and prove in some cases, to be more than the humans can handle.

The only thing that I didn’t like about the movie was the soundtrack. It isn’t “big” enough for the movie. There are glimmers of greatness, but nothing that stands out. Depending on your preferences, that’s either a big deal or not. For me it’s somewhere in between because I find soundtracks to be just as important as what you’re trying to convey visually. It’s overall a minor issue and nothing that should keep you from seeing this movie. It’s fast, fun and funny and will have you wishing for your own giant robot. Go see Pacific Rim, it’s a blast!