Of course this is not a great movie but not all movies are made to be great. Some movies are just there to entertain. Movies like that are also often able to get away with more than just the average movie, as also is the case with this one.

This movie delivered on what it promised; lots of specular giant robots versus giant monsters action. What more do you need? I hope your answer is 'nothing' or 'not much', or else chances are you probably aren't going to enjoy or like this movie. It really doesn't have an awful lot to offer otherwise, in terms of its story or characters. Things are kept pretty simple but having said that, I still do feel that the movie actually did a good job with its storytelling.

There are large portions of the movie in which no giant robots or monsters show up. Yet the movie never starts to drag or appears to be running out of ideas. There is a really pleasant pace and style to the movie, that keeps things enjoyable and interesting, all at the same time. It's not a terribly clever or all too surprising movie but it also isn't anything too predictable or formulaic either and it actually manages to work out as a totally unique movie on its own right.

The movie never goes for a hyper-realistic sort of approach, which only adds to the movie its entertainment. In some ways it feels more like an anime than an actual live action movie. This of course especially goes for the movie its giant robots and monsters and the special effects in general. It really isn't as slick looking as for instance a "Transformers" movie but that's probably also one of the many reasons why this movie works way better. It never takes itself too seriously and the movie is all about the fun and its entertaining aspects. It allows itself to go crazy at times and it isn't pretending to be anything more than just some simple, high quality, entertainment.

The fights themselves are all a joy to look at, though it would have been nice if the movie used some more wide-shots at times. It would have worked better for the scale and scope of things and it potential could have made the fights more intense and involving, since it would have showed you more of what was going on at times. At times it's somewhat hard to tell, also since the movie features lots of night scenes and scenes set in the middle of the Ocean, with large waves blocking your view. But no, I'm really not complaining too much about it. It was pretty intense and impressive to watch all and it most certainly never got boring!

I can't overall complain about this movie, despite the fact that it of course is a far from flawless one. It simply delivers, by giving you just about everything you could hope and wish for, from a movie involving giant robots and monsters!

7/10

Watch trailer

As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi and others

Current release date: July 12, 2013

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day and others

Current release date: July 12, 2013

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi and others

Current release date: July 12, 2013

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi and others

Current release date: July 12, 2013

When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi and others

Current release date: July 12, 2013

This is a good example of a movie that starts of promising but completely falls apart toward its end.

It does at first seem like this movie is going to be a pretty original crime-thriller but it does make some bad choices with its story, after which the movie slowly starts to go from bad till worse.

The movie pretty soon becomes one with two simultaneous stories. One involving the evil, criminal and stone cold killer, played by Eric Bana. The other one involving the definitely less evil sister, played by Olivia Wilde. One is an action/thriller kind of plot, the other a more dramatic/romantic driven one. A pretty big contrast if you ask me and it also doesn't always works out too well. You constantly want the movie to get back to Bana's story, since that's the one with most tension and other interesting aspects in it. The movie however mostly focuses on the Olivia Wilde character and also gives her the most depth and things to do, probably because her name is currently the biggest draw for this movie.

The movie does attempt to bring both stories together again toward the end but this is actually where the movie starts to fall apart. It so unlikely and too heavily relies on its coincidences. It makes the movie ridicules and takes away all of the tension basically.

The movie obviously tries to be more than just an action/thriller flick and it tries to create some depth and drama, also with its characters but still the movie feels like a very shallow one. You don't ever quite enough care for any of the characters and some of the characters are even mostly wasted. It's true that the movie has one or two many characters in it, which in the end don't quite add enough to the movie and its story. They are needless distractions, though it probably at the same time also is true that they help to keep the movie going.

The concept of the movie gets tiresome but yet the movie never really becomes a slow or boring one as well. It's too fast paced for that, making this still a somewhat watchable movie. I mean, it obviously isn't one that will break any records or win any awards but then again, the majority of movies won't. The movie is what it is and still provides some entertainment and also shows some hints of a good and clever movie in it as well. It's too bad that the movie starts to fall apart after a while and never reaches its full potential, in any way or form. In that regard this movie is mostly a failure but still a watchable one!

5/10

Watch trailer

Siblings Addison and Liza are on the run with the stolen loot from a casino job gone horribly wrong. Meanwhile, troubled ex-boxer Jay heads for Thanksgiving dinner with his parents, June and retired sheriff Chet. What will happen when their worlds collide in a twist of fate? From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Stefan Ruzowitzky

Starring: Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde, Charlie Hunnam and others

Current release date: December 7, 2012