REAL STEEL (2011)
Tagline: Champions aren't born. They're made.
(Action, Drama, Robots Kicking Your Teeth In) [PG-13]
Kenton must have hardwired this bot with the will to go on.
In this one, it’s the year 2020 (no, really) and regular boxing has been replaced with robot boxing. It’s a huge sport and former boxer Charlie Kenton (played by Hugh Jackman) is using a robot to try and make money but finds himself deep in debt. Charlie finds out his x-wife has died and now basically the x-wife’s sister wants to take his son. Being basically the worst person in the world he decides he will allow that to happen if his x-wife’s sister's husband gives him money to buy a new robot. Bloody hell. Anyway, Charlie ends up taking Max for the summer, and the two bond over finding a beat-up old robot named Atom, that could ignite the robot boxing sport to a whole new level.
First off, let me say that this kid Max (played by Dakota Goyo) is a total brat. Like a brat even worse than that kid I had to have a kid to have tolerance for in OVER THE TOP. Having said that, Max does have drive and ambition and if my dad was literally trying to sell me for a new robot, I would probably be a jerk too. In spite of these two being jerks, the movie gives you reasons to root for them and the robot Atom is pretty cool even though he doesn’t talk or have a personality of his own.
This movie has a very authentic feel like it could actually happen in the real world. The boxing is done with CGI robots that are based on motion capture using real boxers supervised by legend Sugar Ray Leonard, however, the movie also used a good amount of practical effects as well. Just that little tidbit is pretty rad. It’s possible the movie also inspired the 2013 TV series “ROBOT COMBAT LEAGUE”. All the robots in the show needed stabilizing rigs, but it was still wildly entertaining while it lasted.
Acting-wise this thing is super solid. Hugh Jackman is always outstanding, but the movie also featured a then famous but pre-MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE Anthony Mackie as Finn and pre-MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE Evangeline Lilly as Bailey Tallet. Baily in this movie is basically Charlie’s girlfriend, sort of? I dunno, it’s a bit complicated. Dakota Goyo is good, but like I said, annoying. It also for some reason looks like he stopped acting back in 2014.
I really like this movie, but never bought it. I think it felt a lot like OVER THE TOP emotionally but like the original ROCKY almost felt incomplete as if there was more to tell. I guess now there may finally be a REAL STEEL 2 script in the works, but we will have to wait and see. The first film was very successful grossing over 3 times what it cost to make. It’s definitely one of those movies that was great but also doesn’t get a lot of attention these days. I felt it would be a hit when I saw the advance preview for it months before the regular preview even came out. I was right and wrong. Perhaps the makers of the movie were hoping for a TRANSFORMERS like box office, or maybe the real delay is about the fact that the movie starred 3 very busy comic book movie juggernauts.
I give REAL STEEL a 5 out of 7. Solid story-telling, superb cinematography, and acting, but I wish the kid's character had been more likable.
GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF DREAMWORKS PICTURES AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.
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