ROBOT BOXING
ROMANCE
AND A BOY
REAL STEEL
By Marisa Ings
In a future society where robot fighters replace traditional boxers to give patrons the violence they desire, a struggling promoter/robot controller, Charlie Kenton, is thrown for a loop when the son he abandoned is tossed back into his life. One disappointing defeat after another, Charlie’s (Hugh Jackman) luck changes when his son Max (Dakota Goyo) discovers an old underestimated sparing bot.
Real Steel is not as cold as the title leads on. This film has a lot of heart! From the building of a father son relationship to the triumph of the underdog robot, there are more than three different stories that are told in this film and neither outweigh the other, it’s a perfect balance. To give you a better picture, Real Steel is Rocky meets Transformers. It has both heart and pristine fighting machines.
The future world created for this film is not as futuristic as Minority Report as one would expect. Besides the robot and Charlie’s ultra thin phone, there are no bells and whistles. However, I like how the people and locations evolve from wild and grungy rockers to sleek and trendy socialites as Charlie and Max’s relationship develops and their bot becomes more and more successful.
Jackman and the ‘Beberesque’ Goyo make an awesome pair. The on screen chemistry between the two make you want to cheer for them all the more. All in all, Real Steel is a combination of a heartfelt coming of age story with a underdog success story in the mix. I enjoyed watching it and am sure children and families will also delight in this film.
Final Grade B+