4
Daily Egyptian
The Grind
Monday, October 10, 2011
‘Real Steel’ fails to bring real entertainment JAMES JONES Daily Egyptian
Hugh Jackman (X-men) stars in the futuristic DreamWorks production film “Real Steel,” based on the 1956 short story “Steel” by Richard Matheson. The movie takes place in the distant future, where human boxers have been replaced by rugged largerthan-life-robot-boxers. Jackman plays deadbeat former professional boxer Charlie Kenton, who attempts to get money in illegal boxing matches between robots to pay his debts to loan sharks. His debt triples when Charlie makes a bad bet on a losing robot, and he only has a short amount of time to pay up before things go from bad to worse. In the midst of his growing debt in the boxing community, Charlie is forced to take full custody of his 11-year-old son Max (Dakota Goyo). This is the standard boxing tale of the down-and-out and the redeemed, as Max's presence in Charlie’s life inspires him to become the man and father he should have always been. Charlie and Max put together an abandoned sparring bot named “Atom,” in hopes that with training the mangled bot can compete in the arena of Real Steel boxing. The overall plot lacked originality but was effective in getting audiences to feel a sense of connection between the estranged father and son. Many critics have attempted to compare this movie to the likes of Michael Bay’s “Transformers,” but there is a distinct difference in story lines and target audiences. The fight scenes are a mix of CGI and practical real-world robot props. Executive producer Steven Spielberg goes against the norm and creates a 2D set, which gives the environment an organic and convincing feel. Director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum) has a niche for creating movies that are appropriate and enjoyable for
PROVIDED PHOTO
audiences of all ages. He knows his audience, and has mastered bringing out the inner child in all moviegoers. Though this is an action-packed movie, directors and writers give the film a healthy balance of action and comedy. There is a scene that features Max and Atom ensuing in a dance down at the junkyard, though highly unlikely this scene works of its imitation of life. The interaction between the characters and robots makes for frequent candid moments, and builds touching on screen bond. Charlie, Max and Atom begin to resemble traits of a real family as they mash through the boxing world with only each other. Real Steel has great moments, but the predictable elements take away
from some of the overall enjoyment. Jackman is very cliché as Charlie: a money-hungry jerk who becomes a better fighter after he becomes a better father because that’s how these movies always seem pan out. Max is highly abrasive and skeptical towards his father at first, out of resentment for his absence in his life. Supporting characters are all, of course, antiCharlie as he had his fair share of negative encounters with those in the boxing world. Unless one goes in with preconceived notions, this film could easily please any weekend film appetite. More than an hour of loud action, metal crashing and big-ego bots will leave the viewers certain that they had a good time.