Pacific Rim: Uprising

image for Pacific Rim: Uprising

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Not recommended under 12, parental guidance 12 to 14 due to violence and scary scenes

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This topic contains:

  • overall comments and recommendations
  • details of classification and consumer advice lines for Pacific Rim: Uprising
  • a review of Pacific Rim: Uprising completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 29 March 2018.

Overall comments and recommendations

Children under 12 Not recommended due to violence and scary scenes
Children aged 12 to 14 Parental guidance recommended due to violence and scary scenes
Children aged 14 and over OK for this group

About the movie

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.

Name of movie: Pacific Rim: Uprising
Classification: M
Consumer advice lines: Science fiction violence
Length: 111 minutes

ACCM review

This review of the movie contains the following information:

A synopsis of the story

As this sequel to Pacific Rim begins we hear how ten years have passed since the Earth was invaded by gigantic monsters from another universe known as Kaiju, who were beaten back by gigantic war-machines called Jaegers. We then learn that Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), son of legendary Jaeger pilot Stacker Pentecost, is now a scavenger who raids abandoned Jaegers for parts to sell on the black-market.

On one of Jake’s raids he is outsmarted by a fifteen year old hacker named Amara Namani (Cailee Spaeny) but both Jake and Amara are then arrested by Pan Earth forces and taken to a Pan Pacific Defence Force facility. At the facility Jake is reunited with his estranged sister Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), who offers both Jake and Amara an ultimatum - join the Rangers and pilot Jaegers or rot in prison.

Jake and Amara accept Mako’s offer, with Amara joining a group of young cadets while Jake is teamed up with his old Jaeger partner Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood). Almost immediately, the Pan Pacific base  is attacked and destroyed by a rogue Jaeger.

Attempting to track down the rogue Jaeger, Jake uncovers a serious Kaiju invasion insidiously orchestrated by one of Earth’s own.  It is now up to Jake and his team of Jaeger cadets to defend the Earth.

Themesinfo

Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.

Science fiction; destruction of the earth; alien monsters and robots

Use of violenceinfo

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

The film contains extended sequences of intense science fiction violence including guns and science-fiction weapons, battles between giant robots and monsters, the mass destruction of property, and some blood and gore. Examples include:

  • There are scenes depicting fist fights and some stylised fighting between two men. One man holds a handgun to the other’s head and then punches him in the face and kicks him in the stomach. The man then says “Someone please kill this guy for me.” The man runs away and we see three men chase after him firing their guns.
  • A young woman attacks a man with a metal pipe, then runs away and climbs into a large robot which forms into a ball and rolls away. Larger robots chase the smaller robot and shoot it to disable it; the young girl is arrested.
  • A woman and teenage boy fight with punches to the head until the woman slaps the teen in the face, stopping him.
  • Two teenage girls fight, punching, kicking, throwing and choking each other.
  • There is news footage of people protesting and rioting in the street, throwing projectiles at the riot police.
  • There are brutal battles between giant robots during which we see the robots destroying tall buildings by slicing through the building with power swords or firing missiles. A gigantic hole is blown in a robot’s torso and heads and arms are torn off.  Amongst the destruction and devastation, a helicopter spins out of control, crashing towards the ground; through the window of the helicopter we see the face of a young woman aware of her pending death.  A giant robot reaching out to try to save the helicopter but misses and the helicopter crashes into the ground and bursts into flames. In a later scene we see a photo of the dead woman on a wall of honour.   
  • In one scene a young cadet is burnt on the arm with acid; we see the acid drip onto the skin and the skin smoke.
  • At several points during the film we see young cadets with bloody scrapes, cuts and scratches to their faces. 

Material that may scare or disturb children

Under fiveinfo

Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:

  • Throughout the film there are gigantic scary monsters from another universe, some with horned heads and protective plates covering their bodies while others have tendrils of bluish light emanating from their bodies. They make loud roaring sounds and trample cars and buildings.
  • There is a giant alien brain in a jar wired to a machine.  A man puts on a head set that links his brain with the alien brain.
  • Giant Jaeger robots mutate to take on alien monster appearances and when one mutated Jaeger has its head sliced open there is a giant alien brain inside controlling the robot.

Aged five to eightinfo

Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes and scary visual images, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children aged five to eight, including the following:

  • In one scene an eight-year-old girl watches as a gigantic monster rises up from the sea and crashes down on a boardwalk, killing the young girl’s parents. 

Aged eight to thirteeninfo

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

Children in this age group may also be scared by the above-mentioned scenes

Thirteen and overinfo

Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.

Younger children in this age group may be scared by some of the above-mentioned scenes.

Product placement

Nothing of concern in the film, but possible tie-in merchandise

Sexual references

The film contains a scattering of sexual innuendo throughout. Examples include:

  • A man looks at a second man wearing colourful clothing and asks him, “What are you wearing?” to which the man replies “”I’m sexy”
  • In jest, a man refers to himself as handsome and sexy.
  • Two men discuss being interested in the same woman.

Nudity and sexual activity

The film contains infrequent low-level sexual activity. Examples include:

  • During a battle scene a man lands on top of a woman and for a second it appeared as if the two are about to kiss, but they stop when questioned about the appropriateness of their timing. 
  • A woman kisses two men on the cheek, one after the other, leaving them puzzled about her intentions towards each of them.

Use of substances

There is some use of substances in this movie, including:

  • One scene contains images of a party where we see people consume alcohol. The next day the ground and pool are littered with dozens of empty bottles and we see a man swapping alcohol for food.
  • Being connected to an alien brain seems to give a man a drug-like rush.

Coarse language

There is some coarse language in this movie, including:

  • “son of a bitch”; “arse”; “screw that”; “shit”; “pissed off”; “jerk”

In a nutshell

Pacific Rim: Uprising is the science-fiction action sequel to Pacific Rim and is likely to appeal to teens and adults who were fans of the previous film. There are some violent and scary scenes featuring giant robots and alien monsters so it is not recommended for under 12s with parental guidance recommended for the 12 to 14 age group.

The main message from this movie is that family members should be prepared to forgive each other for past issues and move on. The value of teamwork is also promoted.

Parent may wish to discuss the strong and positive female role models in the film.