11. Pacific Rim
You would think a movie about giant robots punching giant monsters in the face wouldn't need any help in getting audiences to show up at the theater, but that's not necessarily the case with July's
Pacific Rim. The film is an original property, so it lacks the brand recognition of
Transformers. It is also does not have the star power of other recent original sci-fi films such as
Inception (Leonardo DiCaprio) or
Elysium (Matt Damon). Warner Bros. is taking a gamble with this project, but excitement amongst film geeks is high due to fan-favorite Guillermo del Toro calling the shots. However, del Toro's films have never had the box office clout of Steven Spielberg or Christopher Nolan, so it remains to be seen how much of a draw he really is. The
WonderCon trailer was recently released to the public and I felt it was more effective than the
original trailer that we saw a few months back... Based on the footage, it's obvious the spectacle is there. This film was made to be shown on a big screen. But great style doesn't necessarily guarantee a great film. In order for
Pacific Rim to be successful as a film, it needs substance to go along with the special effects. I'll be curious to see how well those two are balanced. Reception after an early screening was very positive, so that plays in its favor.