Real Steel

Welcome to another episode Lights....Camera....Popcorn!

Today's review is Real Steel.

Directed by Shawn Levy.

Written by John Gatins.

Screen Story by Dan Gilroy & Jeremy Leven.

Partially based on the short story "Steel" Written by Richard Matheson.

Review #143

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language.

Runtime: 127 min

Cast

Hugh Jackman ...Charlie Kenton

Dakota Goyo ...Max Kenton

Evangeline Lilly ...Bailey Tallet

Anthony Mackie ...Finn

Kevin Durand ...Ricky

Hope Davis ...Aunt Debra

James Rebhorn ...Marvin

Marco Ruggeri ...Cliff

Karl Yune ...Tak Mashido

Olga Fonda ...Farra Lemkova

You guys remember that game Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots right? It that had the 2 plastic boxing robots that punched each other senseless until the losers head popped up? Well what if I told you that Hollywood was going to make a movie based on that game. Would you go see it?

If your answer is no then that's too bad because you missed one of the best films of 2011.

Plot


Set in the near future, where robot boxing is a top sport, a struggling promoter feels he's found a champion in a discarded robot. During his hopeful rise to the top, he discovers he has an 11-year-old son who wants to know his father. 

The film does contains many of the prototypical stereotypes. A washed up fighter looking to return to some form of prominence is suddenly hit with a string of losses and a situation he never saw coming. There is so much that sets Real Steel apart from the traditional film of this make up. It starts at the top with Hugh Jackman's character. Charlie is a 100% pure beef assh@%e. The way he reacts the second he's told that the mother of his son is dead is just appalling. He then follows his crass response with an even greater reprehensible act while in family court.

The disregard he has for Max is amplified when he interacts with him. There is a very obvious and toxic disconnect between the reunited father and son. Neither wants anything to do with the other but in the interest of self preservation they do what they can to make the best of it. And it's the sport of robot boxing that eventually creates the bond that shapes their relationship the rest of the way. Robot boxing is also what gives Real Steel it's adrenaline charged action. The robot fights are action packed and furious. They are also....

EASY TO FOLLOW!

Hey Hackeal Bay! You need to see this movie so you can witness what it's like to really SEE robots fight. As opposed to the unholy mess you gave us with those 2 horrendous Transformer films. I know there were 3 films. I only saw the first 2.

I will NEVER see the last one.

Everything about the robots was impressive. From their design to the names to their individual fighting styles. It was clear that the SFX team learned what NOT to do from the Transformer films and kept things simple with the robots. Their body designs were very streamlined and smooth. The animation was very detailed, lifelike and also smooth. Your eyes stay trained on the action instead of looping all over the place trying to get a sense of what's going on. The fight choreography was also very impressive for a movie that had mostly digital combatants. I guess when you have Sugar Ray Leonard as your boxing consultant your fights will look as authentic as they possibly can.

The fighting was of course the highlight of the movie but Real Steel has so much more to offer than kick ass combat. This film has a ton of heart. You are drawn in to the adventures that Charlie and Max have as they try to get ATOM (their sparring robot) noticed in the robot fighting game. The more ATOM wins the closer Charlie and Max get. Then the film does something that I absolutely LOVED! I won't say exactly what because it would be considered spoiler material. I'll just say that the Hollywood playbook for a movie with this kind of story arc was thrown out the window. The writers realized the kind of characters they were writing and stuck to their guns. You'll get what I mean after you've seen the movie.

I applauded the way Real Steel handled such a predictable route that films of this genre takes. It makes the film's ending just as satisfying if not more so.  It's evident that the scribes did their homework and chiseled off pieces of several classic fighting films and blended them with their original ideas.

It worked beautifully.

My only regret is never knowing how well this film would have fared during the hot summer months. Releasing this in October gives it a "play it safe" appearance. There isn't any competition to challenge Real Steel for film of the summer. The tactic can be seen 1 of 2 ways. On one hand it's a smart play because there isn't any major picture to lure the dollars away. Or it's a punk move. Touchstone and Dreamworks were too chicken to put this up against the big boys. It's too bad because Real Steel really had a "fighting" chance to win the summer.

Either way they have a hit on their hands. This was a film that lived up to it's promotional hype and then some. No question one of the best films of 2011 in the humble opinion of yours truly.

On the 5 star scale. Real Steel gets the full house 5 stars with a "Worth Every Penny" recommendation.

That's a wrap for today. Up next is The Ides of March.

Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"