Reak Steel Movie Review and Discussion

[Gryffindorian]

Real Steel Movie Review and Discussion

Seriously? No threads on this movie yet, so I'll start.

I saw it today and thought it was fantastic. More to follow. In the mean time, how would you rate it?

EDIT:

Mods, please fix the title.

Additional Info: Visit the Official Site

Real Steel
Starring Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo
Rated PG-13
Length: 2+ Hours

My review:

I really enjoyed this feel-good underdog story starring Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up former boxer who makes a living out of using robot fighters in one-on-one combat matches with other robots. When his ex-girlfriend dies, Charlie is given temporary custody of his estranged son Max, an 11-year-old precocious boy who quickly develops an interest in robotic boxing although he resents his father who abandoned him and his mom. Charlie and Max form a bond when the kid discovers in a junkyard a sparring robot that he names "Atom." Meanwhile, Charlie's girlfriend, Bailey (played by LOST's Evangeline Lilly), the daughter of Charlie's former coach, is a level-headed woman who has a soft spot for Charlie and always tries to talk some sense into him.

The cinematronics/CGI effects are really awe-inspiring and very realistic, especially with the smooth movements and visual renderings of the robots. Although critics call the plot and the characters a bit clichéd, the story's pacing is done well enough to keep viewers interested, and Jackman, Lilly, and young newcomer Goyo give very good performances. Jackman portrays a flawed man who has a strained relationship with his young son, and Goyo's Max is a smart, ambitious boy who's amazed by the world of robot boxing and its legendary figures.

I truly enjoyed this movie and wouldn't mind going for a second viewing.

Overall Rating: A

 

[Gryffindorian]

Okay, so no one here has seen Real Steel? Er, do people not like Hugh Jackman for some reason? Or does a movie about fighting robots not count as sci-fi entertainment?

 

[od0_ital]

Good

Saw it the other night, it was good.

 

[sojourner]

So, and you can answer this in spoiler code, why is a sparring robot able to do so well in the movie?

 

[od0_ital]

So, and you can answer this in spoiler code, why is a sparring robot able to do so well in the movie?

Spoiler: Sparring Robot

Because the robot's design is to take a lot of hits, as stated in the trailer. The kid upgrades the robot with a voice command, rather than remote control. And the robot has a shadow function, which makes it mimic the actions of whoever he shadows, and for the final fight, the robot shadows Hugh Jackman's moves, and it was established earlier in the movie that he used to be a boxer. Not a very good one, but still...