Aliens attempting to destroy the world, and humanity creating giant mecha to combat them, piloted by two people who can essentially access each other's memories.
Since I saw the trailer, this movie has been on my "to-watch" list specifically because of one of my old professors, who taught a course on cybernetics and society - Pacific Rim promised some exploration of that theme, and I so I watched the movie with an eye specifically towards that.
So what'd I think? I suppose...wasted potential is what comes to mind here?
I mean, conceptually the movie is straightforward, without immediately promising gimmicks along the lines of Inception - for me, the potential is in exploring the relation between the two pilots of each Jaeger (the mecha), and all the cybernetics discussion that can accompany it (they seem to pilot the machine as if the Jaeger were an extension of their bodies). If not for any of this, it'd really be nothing more than your standard alien invasion movie.
But...instead, we get treated to a bunch of standard Hollywood crap.
So yeah. Long story short, I think this movie spent its time inefficiently, or rather ineffectively - focusing on the stuff that isn't as original or interesting. And no, not having your male and female leads kiss at the end does not suddenly make your movie better - they might as well have, for all the development that happened prior to that final scene. I will, once again, refer you to Inception for a better example of "female character that isn't just love interest/sidekick".
At least the soundtrack (particularly the recurring leitmotif) is awesome.
Oh, and lots of awesome scenes of mecha fighting aliens. Probably should've mentioned the obvious from the beginning -.-