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Pacific Dim

Big dumb fun. I don't think there's a better way to describe the original "Pacific Rim." Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the first movie is an action-packed love letter to anime and "Godzilla" flicks that manages to work not only despite its inherent silliness, but somehow because of it. Now, hoping to turn another round of giant robot versus giant monster mayhem into repeat blockbuster success, filmmaker Steven S. DeKnight has stepped behind the camera for a sequel. But while DeKnight has got the "big dumb" part of the franchise's winning equation down just fine, that all-important "fun" aspect is disappointingly erratic.

Set ten years after the previous film, "Pacific Rim: Uprising" focuses on Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), the son of Idris Elba's character from "Pacific Rim." Though initially reluctant to follow in his father's legendary footsteps, Pentecost is eventually convinced to help train a young team of budding Jaegar pilots. At the same time, a new enemy plots to bring the monstrous Kaijus back to Earth to take out humanity once and for all. With the fate of the world resting on their giant robot shoulders, the Jaegars jump into action and attempt to cancel the apocalypse... again.

As the new lead, Boyega is one of the movie's highlights, injecting some decent charisma and personality into a fairly underwritten part while managing to milk a few laughs here and there out of some middling one-liners. Likewise, Cailee Spaeny is solid as his spunky teen-aged recruit, and the two share some amusing chemistry. Sadly, the rest of the ensemble is completely forgettable and one-note, and the few returning characters from the first film are mostly wasted. That is, with the notable exception of Charlie Day's Dr. Newton Geiszler, who ends up playing a pretty substantial role in the plot.

Unfortunately, that plot doesn't end up being all that interesting. In fact, the movie ultimately feels a little inconsequential and fails to really expand upon the mythology of the first film. Though an oddly abrupt ending does set up a far more intriguing premise for a potential third entry, that concept should have really just been used for this installment. As it stands, what we get here comes across more like filler than a meaningful next step for the franchise.

Nonsensical storytelling, stock archetypes, and clichéd dialogue litter the script as well, but these elements all hark back to the first film's unashamed devotion to anime tropes. On that note, there are times when DeKnight is able to pull off the same kind of gleefully silly fanboy spectacle that made the original so entertaining. I just wish those times were more frequent. In Guillermo del Toro's hands, "Pacific Rim" found just the right tone of stylized cheesiness, but "Uprising" pulls back a little and frequently settles on a slightly less over-the-top and far more generic vibe. Basically, instead of amusingly stylized cheesiness we get half-hearted bland cheesiness. And that's just not as much fun.

Still, the flick does manage to deliver when it comes to larger-than-life action. The Jaegar scenes are all fairly dynamic and the CG work is convincing enough, bringing some believable heft to the giant machines and monsters. Flashy slow-motion and some pretty cool staging also help to keep things lively, especially during the climactic team battle. This results in a slick and far more visually clear take on robot chaos than the nearly incomprehensible metallic jumble of Michael Bay's 'Transformers' movies. But while the decision to set most of the film's action during the day does lead to some pleasingly bright and vibrant images, I can't help but miss the moodier, rain-soaked and neon-lit nighttime battles from the previous movie.

Despite some notable flaws, "Pacific Rim: Uprising" offers just enough spectacle to be worthwhile, even if it is missing a lot of the style and geek passion that made the first film so much fun. DeKnight's approach is entertaining in bursts, but the film ultimately comes across as a bit generic, and most of the new characters are totally forgettable. In other words, this is one big dumb sequel.