3. Guillermo del Toro
Del Toro is a well-respected director, with an impressive selection of films behind him. Hes directed the best Blade movie to date, and his Spanish-speaking films are incredible (
The Devils Backbone,
Pans Labyrinth). Del Toro has always managed a great deal of transnationalism in his movies, so theyre easily accessible for Western audiences. His films are undeniably a labour of love, and
Pacific Rim is a clear sign of that. He has a vivid imagination and he applies it to one of his most beloved genres, the monster movie. His lifelong obsession with Kaiju movies and wrestling began from an early age, and thats apparent throughout the movie. The main fight scene in Hong Kong is incredibly layered, and theres a great amount of care put towards the choreography and characters, as Gipsy overcomes the odds with an unpredictable fighting technique, including moves such as a wrestling suplex. He respects the material, and he adds a particular depth to the characters and storyline. Its not just simply robots beating up ugly monsters, but a story of humanity coming together, prevailing against the deadly Kaiju enemy. Del Toros handling of Mako Moris character is one of the strongest points in the entire movie, and Mako arguably has the most interesting character development throughout. One harrowing scene is all thats needed to establish her reasons for fighting the Kaiju, and it is filmed beautifully. It might sound hyperbolic to some, but Guillermo del Toro can be regarded as one of the greatest directors in modern cinema, and that is partly due to his striking imagination and unique vision. In
Pacific Rim, hes firing on all cylinders, with a broad appeal for cinemagoers.