You know what? That's a great point. Remember the complaint that he always had a sword but never used it? What if that was only added in the rebuild? So that's why it was never used until the battle where it appears? Very nice point.
[Movies] Pacific Rim
- Thread starter evilmike
- Start date
To me, it's like arguing why Voltron started with the lions, rather than forming Voltron right off the bat and pulling out the Blazing Sword. Or why the Power Rangers didn't jump right into ther Zords and stomp on the monster of the week before the villain of the season does whatever thing they do to make it become giant.
It's just a trope of the genre and I, for one, love the fact that they did it.
I worked on movies. attempted my own, and finally settled in a more technical job at a worldwide company that sells film equipment. I think I know what elements make a narrative arc.
A narrative arc is simply a section of the story that has an exposition, a rising action, and finally a resolution to the arc that was started in the exposition.
The romantic arc had all three. The exposition was the crush and building of desire, the rising action was the two becoming close as pilots, and the resolution is the two surviving to live another day together. (If he died, that would have still been considered a tragic resolution) Even the two Australians had a full arc dedicated to them, with the exposition forming the rivalry, the rising action being their conflict breaking out, and the resolution ending with them coming to terms with the main character and Mako.
Though they dragged it on even longer by putting in a second resolution with the guys sacrifice.
He's about to argue that because you didn't actually make films, you don't know what you're talking about
Just giving Gilgamesh shit, and not meant to be taken seriously.
Who says I never made a film.He's about to argue that because you didn't actually make films, you don't know what you're talking about
I think that's why I had such a big WTF moment when they only pulled out the sword at the last minute. I expected Pacific Rim to be more serious and make more sense than Voltron and Power Rangers.
I mean, yes the end result is cool, and yes it's okay for some things to be illogical if the end result is entertaining. I guess I just expected more, y'know?
ScytheRexx - the fact that you say you worked in film/made a film and still don't get it is amusing. Just wanted to point that out.
Arc indicates a beginning (which there was) a middle (which is where the film ended them in and an end (that wasn't there). If you can't understand that on a simple level, then you're just set in your -I know better than you just cause- then yeah, I'll stop here as Tress was smart enough to do.
Arc indicates a beginning (which there was) a middle (which is where the film ended them in and an end (that wasn't there). If you can't understand that on a simple level, then you're just set in your -I know better than you just cause- then yeah, I'll stop here as Tress was smart enough to do.
The "that would be a very short and terrible episode/movie" trope.
Also I want to note Mighty Morphin actually had a canon reason for this trope. In the first episode after receiving their powers and defeating Goldar and some putties the rangers are told the 3 rules to follow or "lose the protection of the power"
1. Never use your powers for personal gain
2. Never escalate a battle unless Rita forces you.
3. Never reveal your secret identities.
That's really strange. I thought she made it clear that she added the sword as part of the rebuild.
I'll have to watch it again, maybe I'm imagining things, though the wiki seems to agree with me: http://pacificrim.wikia.com/wiki/Gipsy_Danger
I'll have to watch it again, maybe I'm imagining things, though the wiki seems to agree with me: http://pacificrim.wikia.com/wiki/Gipsy_Danger
See, it's not illogical. Now everybody's happy.
She did. She didn't bring it up until the last minute though, so it still kind of falls into one of those "why didn't you use this sooner? type of deals.
I already gave you the full knowledge of what makes an arc. If you didn't see the resolution, I can't really help you with that, but it was there. Him surviving and the touching of foreheads was itself just as much an end as Corban Dallas and Leelu kissing out light and having sex in a healing tube. Trust me, I like discussion and change my mind when someone points out something factual. I have yet to see that here because for whatever reason people don't see the romance arc build over 60% of the movie that didn't focus on the robots beating up monsters or Charlie Day being a nerdy Charlie Day.
But at this point, I think I will have to agree to drop it.
GasBandit
Staff member
I have actually heard that Real Steel was much better than it had any right to be.
Lies. No one liked Real Steel enough to even say that.
There's a difference between a movie being a tribute/send-up and just trying to do a style and failing miserably.
It was pretty decent, to be honest, though it also gave me a few "this makes no sense" moments.
Eh, best not to think about them too much. Robots fighting stuff. I'm happy with that.
I liked Real Steel. 
I'd say it was easily not bad, but not great. Really only for the plot being so all over the place and the actors feeling mostly flat and 2D.I liked Real Steel.
It's cool man I was mostly just joking.I liked Real Steel.
I'll agree with that for the most part. It wasn't the greatest movie of all time or anything, but I enjoyed it enough that I might eventually buy the BluRay if I find it cheap. ($10 or less)
GasBandit
Staff member
Quick sword point - they never used except as a last resort since they stated kaiju blood / innards are super toxic / acidic / fuck up the earth something bad.
although, the Crimson Typhoon jaeger was like, three spinning blades, but maybe that was just for over the ocean
although, the Crimson Typhoon jaeger was like, three spinning blades, but maybe that was just for over the ocean
Dave
Staff member
Maybe it was a technical thing. Because the sword undergoes a lot of stress (instead of a solid piece of metal it is a series of interlocking ones) it has a limited lifespan, which would make it expensive to continue replacing. Or they don't like to pull out all of their weapons because the kaiju learn and change tactics based on what they see. Or the sword can't keep the acid out and gets damaged with each use.
It's a movie. They can't always explain everything.
It's a movie. They can't always explain everything.
You don't open ranged combat with a sword.
It's been established that it was added during the rebuild, hence it wasn't used in previous battles. In case you missed that.
I got that. Therefore, it's meant to be plausible that Raleigh doesn't know about the sword. Problems with this:
1. Mako knows about the sword. She could've chosen to use it, or at least mention it.
2. A bunch of people at the base know about the sword. They could have mentioned it, probably when briefing Raleigh about the changes to Gipsy Danger.
3. Raleigh and Mako have drifted, which supposedly allows them to share all memories. Mako must have been suppressing her knowledge of the sword pretty hard, for Raleigh to not pick up on it at all.
There is absolutely no good excuse for why the sword was used when it was. I might be able to buy the toxic factor, which might lead them to only wanting to use brute force to take the creatures down. But they were quick to show that they were just as willing to blow the things the fuck up just as often as bludgeon them to death.
But there is no excusing a single person from mentioning the sword sooner. The sword was available, and it was a valid weapon. Regardless of how cool the scene was, Gipsy Danger drags a cargo ship onto land (killing who knows howmany) and uses it as a club. The sword would have been a much better choice between the two of them. Someone at HQ could have just said "why are you dragging that ship behind you? Just stab his ass!". And that's assuming the drift with Mako didn't divulge it, or even the drift with the machine itself. If the whole point is that the drift basically turns you INTO the machine, there should be nothing that it can do that you are not aware of.
But there is no excusing a single person from mentioning the sword sooner. The sword was available, and it was a valid weapon. Regardless of how cool the scene was, Gipsy Danger drags a cargo ship onto land (killing who knows howmany) and uses it as a club. The sword would have been a much better choice between the two of them. Someone at HQ could have just said "why are you dragging that ship behind you? Just stab his ass!". And that's assuming the drift with Mako didn't divulge it, or even the drift with the machine itself. If the whole point is that the drift basically turns you INTO the machine, there should be nothing that it can do that you are not aware of.
But that wouldn't have been nearly as cool.
Plot holes and logical inconsistencies that are deliberate design decisions remain plot holes and logical inconsistencies. For some people, and some movies, they work. For some people, watching certain movies, it's jarring.
For example, I'm not going to question why an air traffic controller like Johnny, making his pterodactyls out of weather reports, hasn't been fired yet. I'm not going to question why the autopilot's a blow-up doll. I'm not going to ask what sort of nervous disorder makes a guy miss his mouth every time he tries to take a drink. And I'm definitely not going to ask why everyone keeps calling the doctor Shirley. For a movie like Airplane, which doesn't have a single serious moment in it, and never pretends to be anything else, it works.
However, I feel Pacific Rim should be held to a different standard. Saying "This doesn't make sense, but that's okay because of Rule of Cool" is fine and well. But unfortunately, I can't turn off my logic filters quite so easily, especially since Pacific Rim is so much more serious in tone than farces like Airplane.
For example, I'm not going to question why an air traffic controller like Johnny, making his pterodactyls out of weather reports, hasn't been fired yet. I'm not going to question why the autopilot's a blow-up doll. I'm not going to ask what sort of nervous disorder makes a guy miss his mouth every time he tries to take a drink. And I'm definitely not going to ask why everyone keeps calling the doctor Shirley. For a movie like Airplane, which doesn't have a single serious moment in it, and never pretends to be anything else, it works.
However, I feel Pacific Rim should be held to a different standard. Saying "This doesn't make sense, but that's okay because of Rule of Cool" is fine and well. But unfortunately, I can't turn off my logic filters quite so easily, especially since Pacific Rim is so much more serious in tone than farces like Airplane.