I watched the movie with a friend who's a military helicopter pilot, and what she loved was that Raleigh didn't act superior, but he did act like the senior officer mentoring a rookie. When Mako chased the RABIT, the first thing he said to Stacker was that it was his fault--it was his memory that started it, and his mistake that set her off; it's just not sensible or fair to blame the junior pilot for not fixing things when the senior one fucks up. Same with giving her his air, or putting her in the escape pod: she's injured and doesn't have the experience to finish piloting and get herself out on limited oxygen but he does, so he'll send her off, finish what needs finishing, and then bail himself.
What I love is that Pacific Rim follows the standard Campbellian hero myth... from a different perspective. Raleigh isn't the hero. He's the Wise Old Mentor, called out of retirement in the hour of need to call the new hero to her quest.
no subject
Date: 10 Aug 2013 10:31 pm (UTC)What I love is that Pacific Rim follows the standard Campbellian hero myth... from a different perspective. Raleigh isn't the hero. He's the Wise Old Mentor, called out of retirement in the hour of need to call the new hero to her quest.