I have not seen the first Pacific Rim film, which some might think would drastically impact my understanding of the second one. However, at no point was I confused by the sequel\u2019s plot involving building-sized robots fighting building-sized monsters. Incredibly, I was able to understand it all, soaking in its rich themes and the captivating social commentary that runs through it like a tapeworm in a cat\u2019s intestines.<\/p>\n
Some time has passed since whatever happened in the first film. The kaijus haven\u2019t crawled out of their dimensional hole in years, and now the Jaegers \u2013 the \u2018Honey, I Blew Up The Transformers\u2019 machines that humans use to punch the creatures in the gullet \u2013 are rusting away in tetanus-filled playgrounds.<\/p>\n
Playing the wayward son of Idris Elba, who was apparently a character in the first one, John Boyega must realise his potential and help save the world when a bunch Jaegers go rogue and yet more kaijus appear to claim their acting credit \u2013 a premise I quickly established was an elaborate metaphor for the growing tensions between China and the US over the trade of broiler chickens.<\/p>\n
Pacific Rim: Uprising actually addresses various political issues, like gun control, which is poignantly illustrated by a scene in which a robot fires torpedoes out of its shoulders and cooks a fool\u2019s head with its plasma fist.\u00a0And when another robot pulls down a building with its gravity cannon, it is obviously symbolic for the turbulent Brexit negotiations.<\/p>\n
If there is one complaint to be made about the film it\u2019s that it\u2019s actually too political. I used up an entire A4 notepad writing down my thoughts, and I could hear two journalists debating whether the villain was more like Margaret Thatcher or John Major. They got into a huge altercation, firing pen lids at each other while making rocket noises and using Post-it notes as force fields. Admittedly, it was more entertaining than what was happening on the screen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"