Pacific Rim Uprising

“Pacific Rim: Uprising” is the sequel to the 2013 release, “Pacific Rim.” If you liked the original, you will undoubtedly like “Uprising,” since it keeps the same PG-13 tone. This film takes place ten years after the war that defeated the Kaiju monsters. Jake Pentecost’s father, Stacker Pentecost played by Idris Elba, sacrificed himself in the original to save the world. In the current film, Jake isn’t at all interested in following in his dad’s heroic footsteps. That is, until certain events shake him up and bring him on board in the good-guys-vs-the-bad-monsters action. Many of the actors in the original film return in their roles for this sequel.

The film does have some redeeming value on moral grounds. Family relationships are portrayed in tender loving ways. People who are originally combative and insulting towards each other put aside differences to forgive each other and unite on behalf of the greater good of others. Many people act in heroic ways in the face of extreme danger. Several characters are willing to sacrifice their own lives to save others. Blood and gore are almost non-existent.

Parental Alert Issues

Nudity—There are three incidents of too much skin being displayed—not full nudity, but one woman on a bike leaves little to the imagination.

Alcohol—One very blatant scene shows many liquor bottles following a wild party.

Illegal Activity—There are two incidents that illustrate main characters involved in serious theft, without remorse.

Greed—Several incidences portray a main character who is only interested in “getting rich” by any means possible, including illegal activity.

Fist fights—There are four scenes of people ferociously fighting each other, including one event where two women throw each other to the floor with the intention of beating each other to a pulp.

Crude Language—I counted almost 30 objectionable words such as “h*ll” (8), 2 “p*ss,” 8 “a*s,” 5 “sh*t,” one muffled “F-word,” and several other crude words like “cr*p,” “b*tch,” “bas*ard” and “bo*bs.” One scene shows a main character flipping the middle finger. God’s Name was used lightly 2 times (“Oh my God”), 1 “God-d*man,” and “H*ll” (6).

Character interaction—There are at least 7 scenes in this film where characters lose their tempers and are rude to each other, or have an intense shouting match.

Disturbing images—There are many scenes of terrifying danger, lots of people screaming while they flee in terror—some die (no obvious blood), cities destroyed, buildings burning, heart-breaking scenes of families separated, and many explosions.

Occultism activity—Some people may find this the most disturbing element in the movie. The Kaiju are presented as if they are “alien monsters from an another dimension.” However, just as in the original “Pacific Rim,” I could not shake the impression that they are demons. No two are alike. They are relentlessly devoted to our destruction, hideous in appearance, and from a place deep below our planet’s surface. They are demonic in appearance, power and quest. In one very disturbing scene, a main character bonds with a monster’s brain, as if in a trance, and in several scenes he speaks as if demonically possessed, with a deepened altered voice while he refers to himself as “we” instead of “me.” That is possession, and I strongly caution parents to take this seriously when considering this movie for your kids.

The PG-13 rating is on target, and I believe younger children will find the stuff of nightmares in this film.

• Violence: Heavy
• Profane language: Moderate
• Vulgar/Crude language: Moderately Heavy
• Nudity: Mild— sleeping girls with little clothing; shirtless male
• Sex: Mild

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.