In 2013, Pacific Rim’s kaiju rose from the depths and were smashed back by the towering Jaegers, massive machine suits controlled by human pilots. Director Guillermo del Toro’s rock ’em-sock ’em robot-versus-monster war was a delight for the ages and the box office, guaranteeing a sequel almost immediately. That film’s finale takes the form of what’s now become a standard closer for a certain type of high-budget action film. You’ve seen it by now: the serious, sensuous pan across equipment and characters, the elements frozen, the music epic and grand. It’s a slow, luxurious look at the physical curves and features of figures normally seen only in motion, racing across the screen. 

For the 2018 sequel, Uprising, creative directors Kyle Cooper (Se7en, Dawn of the Dead) and Olga Midlenko (Limitless, Kong: Skull Island) and the team at studio Prologue took the end sequence in a different direction. Blending 2D with 3D, the team created a piece full of motion and drama, splashes of paint and oodles of colour. The resultant piece is heavier, bolder, more tactile and fundamentally alive, a celebration of the film rather than a solemn reminiscence.