‘Real Steel’ is a futuristic sports movie based on an age-old theme. It envisions the near future, where humans have been banned from boxing and replaced by giant robots. But as in almost every sports movie ever made, the little guy is forced to battle against great odds in a rags to riches triumph that usually ends with someone covered in blood and yelling ‘Yo Adrian, we did it.‘ Except this time the protagonist is covered in oil and doesn’t yell at all. Yes, you may have seen it all before, but ‘Real Steel’ is worth your time because it offers an above average storyline, competent acting and some great adrenaline-filled fights between these steel behemoths.
Hugh Jackman is Charlie Kenton, a down-and-out former boxer who could have been a great in the sport if his career path hadn’t been suddenly automated. He operates in the fringes of the fight game by entering his beat up old ‘bot in backyard matches. Unfortunately, he routinely loses more money than he makes. Charlie is addicted to gambling and is a terrible father as well, having abandoned his son Max (Dakota Goyo) as a baby. Through some rather complicated developments that display Charlie’s poor ethics as a father, Max enters into his care for the summer holidays. Together they start training an ancient robot named Atom for the fight game. Atom has a ‘mirror mode’ ability, allowing him to mimic the motions of his controller. Max is convinced that Atom can win as his dad’s avatar. Along the way, Charlie also approaches an ex-girlfriend by the name of Bailey (Evangeline Lilly) whose help he needs in getting Atom ready for the big leagues. Bailey has plenty of reason to resent Charlie, but she gradually softens to him as she watches his relationship with Max develop.
By now you have probably worked out that ‘Real Steel’ is not exactly Oscar material, but nor is it a total waste of time either. The young actor playing Max seems to have something special about him and his interactions with his dad are compelling. Charlie certainly grows during the movie, starting off as a selfish loser, but with the help of his son and robot he gradually rediscovers his humanity (oh, the irony). There is a spectacular final fight scene between Atom and the world champion, a brute of a ‘bot who goes by the name of Zeus. The owners of Zeus are sufficiently odious enough to add extra spice and interest to the final result.
If you are a lover of rousing sports movies, or passionate about the idea of robots smashing each other around, then ‘Real Steel’ will be the real deal for you. For the rest of us, it provides an unexpectedly interesting holiday diversion. Sufficient enough to keep you involved, but not exactly worth adding to the 'Accomplished' section of your Bucket List.
Three stars out of five for ‘Real Steel.‘ PG13 for some violence, intense action and brief language.