Pacific Rim: SPOILER THREAD

[Vendetta]

Vendetta, would you consider the Jaegers super robots?
Now that I think about it, this movie could possibly the first to blur the line between the categories of real robots and super robots.. but I am not the most well-versed in roboturological matters here.

Yeah, they're super robots. They're each unique, they exist in a vacuum rather than being part of a wider combined force organisation, they're much bigger than "real" robots tend to be, they rely on durability in a fight rather than having to avoid being hit in the first place because they're in the same scale of durability as everything else. They might not have been built by a mad old professor and piloted by his 14 year old grandson, but everything else about them is super robot all over.

[NeoGoomba]

Finally saw it. Loved every minute of it. Probably one of the few movies, as other people have said, where I can easily shut my brain off, love every minute of the movie, and yet not hold that against it.

Random Thoughts:

Pearlman as Chau was great. That man can so easily bring animated characters to life (Hellboy, The Beast). He did such a good job as "generic slimy anime gangster character" that I was having flashbacks. And those shoes!

Charlie Day was very effective, even though seeing him in action without the rest of the Always Sunny gang is, well, always disappointing. Danny DeVito should have been the other scientist, not this fake looking vat-grown young Willam DaFoe clone.

I was kind of sad there was no hammer and sickle theme with the Russian Jaeger. Damn you, Gorbachev, you blew it all those years ago! Russian chick pilot was gorgeous also.

(As an aside, between Russian Jaeger Pilot Girl and Faora from "Man of Steel", my summer crushes are locked in. My wife isn't amused. She must be dealt with.)

I was kind of hoping that the Breach led to Monster Island, but I'm glad it didn't, because if it got nuked, what would happen to Minilla!?!

I also have no desire for anyone to try and quantify this shit beyond easy surface calcs such as: Jaegers are super strong and durable because they are forged from FUCK YOU-inium. Kaiju can withstand nukes because GIANT MONSTER SKIN is +5 to Thermal Weapons. Gypsy Danger runs on an analog computer system because ??????.

[Guardsman Bass]

I was wondering about that, too, as an idle curiosity. How tough would whatever materials making up a Jaeger have to be to take that kind of punishment?

[Borgholio]

Nevermind the materials to take that kind of punishment, how does the damn thing stand without collapsing under it's own weight?

[AniThyng]

It kind of amused me when they emphasized how the metal was not alloyed, as if that was better.

[NeoGoomba]

STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!
*places hands over ears*

[Admiral Valdemar]

I like that Gipsy Danger is made from wrought iron. That's hardcore.

[NeoGoomba]

I'm pretty sure Gypsy Danger was actually Big O wearing a disguise.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Also, just got the score. Ramin Djawadi seems to have half-recycled Iron Man for the main theme, but I do like it.

[Majin Gojira]

I'd rather try and fit other kaiju into the Category system they have set up in the film.

[NeoGoomba]

So a question to those that have read the fluff thats out there. Of the thirty Jaegers Stringer Pentacost mentioned, were they ALL unique models, or did each nation build a specific type that they mass produced (with the obvious exception of China, unless of course they primarily fielded triplet pilot teams)?

[CaptainChewbacca]

I imagine that each Mark series had certain systems in common (type of neural link, power systems, etc) but that each country customized the individual models according to their need.

[Vendetta]

So a question to those that have read the fluff thats out there. Of the thirty Jaegers Stringer Pentacost mentioned, were they ALL unique models, or did each nation build a specific type that they mass produced (with the obvious exception of China, unless of course they primarily fielded triplet pilot teams)?

All of the designs seen in supplemental material have been unique.

[Jub]

Having the be unique might make some sort of sense given how long it takes to make them and how long training a pilot team must take. If you think of each Jaeger more like a ship you would expect to see some changes between each one anyway, now add in the unique fighting style of the teams and you have more reason to customize. Of course underneath you would expect to see certain power plant, cooling, wiring, and chassis similarities.

[Mr Bean]

Having the be unique might make some sort of sense given how long it takes to make them and how long training a pilot team must take. If you think of each Jaeger more like a ship you would expect to see some changes between each one anyway, now add in the unique fighting style of the teams and you have more reason to customize. Of course underneath you would expect to see certain power plant, cooling, wiring, and chassis similarities.

Also repairs and upgrades as time goes by not to mention field repairs. Gypsy danger went through what three arms before the end of the movie? Something tells me they can't cast an entire new arm in a week or keep a part that complex in stock so it's a MK IV, III or maybe a MK I/II armor sitting around repainted and with a touch of reshaping to fight it into Gypsy's chassie.

[Lord Relvenous]

So a question to those that have read the fluff thats out there. Of the thirty Jaegers Stringer Pentacost mentioned, were they ALL unique models, or did each nation build a specific type that they mass produced (with the obvious exception of China, unless of course they primarily fielded triplet pilot teams)?

Well, it is China, so they would have plenty of triplets to select from. It'd be interesting if China used only 3 pilots as they found the setup superior or something.

Also repairs and upgrades as time goes by not to mention field repairs. Gypsy danger went through what three arms before the end of the movie? Something tells me they can't cast an entire new arm in a week or keep a part that complex in stock so it's a MK IV, III or maybe a MK I/II armor sitting around repainted and with a touch of reshaping to fight it into Gypsy's chassie.

Yeah, it would seem beneficial to have common connectors and capability. However, even after the arm being replaced, it still contained the sword and (IIRC) plasma cannon. So it seems to me that they really did replace the arm.

[PREDATOR490]

Watched it, found the effects good but it has serious flaws stemming from the forced justifications being used to support the movie.

The major issue I had with the robots themselves was the utter stupidity being demonstrated in their construction. That said, the film seems to take an unintentional pot shot at itself with one of the pilots saying the reason they are losing is because the pilots suck. Based on the sloppy techniques and shitty construction its not just the pilots that suck.

However, brainless action flick is complete and is effectively a repackaged Independence Day.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Wait. You're criticising the construction of a giant robot film robot? We'll ignore that the whole concept is laughable anyway, and that neither one of the designs would work in reality anyway. I'm curious what they could have done differently with entirely fictional weapons of magical abilities.

[mr friendly guy]

Had a go on the online game and Jaeger designer last night. Seems some of the blades are thermal and laced with CNTs too. Take that fluff as you will.

I am tempted to get the Year Zero comic, but it's
pricey for how long it is, as with all comic books it seems.

Wait, there is a comic. Any link to the advert?

[Guardsman Bass]

Had a go on the online game and Jaeger designer last night. Seems some of the blades are thermal and laced with CNTs too. Take that fluff as you will.

I am tempted to get the Year Zero comic, but it's
pricey for how long it is, as with all comic books it seems.

Wait, there is a comic. Any link to the advert?

Pacific Rim: Tales from Year Zero

There seems to be a clash with the movie about how they dealt with the first Kaiju. The movie said they took it down with tanks, aircraft, etc, while the comic shows them actually nuking the first one (and the next three before they used the Jaeger Prototype to kill #5).

I didn't realize how bad ammonia is for aquatic life - wikipedia says even dilute concentrations are highly toxic for it. It's no surprise they really wanted to get away from simply blowing them up and spreading Kaiju blood/viscera all over the coasts.

[Vendetta]

The details of the Our Weapons Are Useless don't really matter, Our Weapons, whatever they are, Are Useless.

Especially nukes, I mean we all know that if you nuke the giant monster jumping up and down on Tokyo you're just going to make it mad.

[Admiral Valdemar]

They're basically walking suicide bombs for the environment. It's no good blowing them apart if you turn your land and sea into a toxic mess, and nuking isn't a good solution either. So dragging them out and bludgeoning them in the deep sea is probably as good as you can get b

[Guardsman Bass]

Hence why they need giant baseball bats.

That said, I could see why they were trying to get away from the Jaeger program, even if the "Wall of Life" wasn't going to work (the novelization has the top leadership throw out that no city with a Wall had been attacked before as a justification before Sidney's attack). Two Category IVs attacking together nearly overwhelmed Gipsy Danger and the best Jaeger they could build, meaning the others were likely just getting ripped to pieces.

[AndroAsc]

Nice show, great graphics, so-so plot, fucked up tactics.

List of questions
a) WTF happened to air support? Ever heard of an airstrike to soften up the target before moving the Yeager in for the kill? Obviously seeing big robots going hand-to-hand makes for better eye candy.
b) WTF happened to sensors? There's so many times where the pilots could not "see" the enemy. Radar? IR sensors? Motion detectors? Seriously is everything in the near future eyeball now? Hell, they can even detect the fucking monster in HQ by tracking some energy signature, so why can't they port that tech into the Yeager?
c) WTF happened to long-range weapons? Ok, I know big robots going hand-to-hand is more fulfilling, but going melee first and plasma as the finishing move is a fuck up. Especially since we've seen how flimsy the robots can be in melee combat. It should be shoot the fuck first, and then move in for the decapitation.
d) Why claim that the Mark 3 is analog because it was nuclear powered? WTF are those lights and gizmos, are they not electrical? Stupid comment from stupid science. Is an analog nuclear reactor even possible? Which brings to the next question, if the other Yeagers are not powered by "analog" nuclear reactors, what powers them?
e) WTF happened to the nukes? Ever heard of nuking the monster when it is still far away from the coast in the sea?
f) WTF is up with fighting in the sea. Ok, I know to minimize collateral damage, but it's obvious Yeager suck at sea combat. They are too slow, lack maneuverability, and when you punch the monster, its fall is cushioned by a body of water.

[Jub]

Nice show, great graphics, so-so plot, fucked up tactics.

List of questions
a) WTF happened to air support? Ever heard of an airstrike to soften up the target before moving the Yeager in for the kill? Obviously seeing big robots going hand-to-hand makes for better eye candy.
b) WTF happened to sensors? There's so many times where the pilots could not "see" the enemy. Radar? IR sensors? Motion detectors? Seriously is everything in the near future eyeball now? Hell, they can even detect the fucking monster in HQ by tracking some energy signature, so why can't they port that tech into the Yeager?
c) WTF happened to long-range weapons? Ok, I know big robots going hand-to-hand is more fulfilling, but going melee first and plasma as the finishing move is a fuck up. Especially since we've seen how flimsy the robots can be in melee combat. It should be shoot the fuck first, and then move in for the decapitation.
d) Why claim that the Mark 3 is analog because it was nuclear powered? WTF are those lights and gizmos, are they not electrical? Stupid comment from stupid science. Is an analog nuclear reactor even possible? Which brings to the next question, if the other Yeagers are not powered by "analog" nuclear reactors, what powers them?
e) WTF happened to the nukes? Ever heard of nuking the monster when it is still far away from the coast in the sea?
f) WTF is up with fighting in the sea. Ok, I know to minimize collateral damage, but it's obvious Yeager suck at sea combat. They are too slow, lack maneuverability, and when you punch the monster, its fall is cushioned by a body of water.

Just a thought, but try actually reading the thread...