By: Rama
Do you wanna know what Rama thought of Real Steel? Did he think the robots knocked it out of the ring or not? Enjoy his review and make sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
REAL STEEL is rock ‘em sock ‘em awesome! It empowers, entertains, and excites you. One of the best crowd-pleasing, feel-good movies of the year. Watch out for Dakota Goyo, this kid is goin’ places! What a bag of talents for such a young age. Hugh Jackman delivers his most powerful performance yet. Director Shawn Levy got himself a winner in REAL STEEL because this movie’s got energy to spare for the next century with its relatable underdog story complimented with father-son relationship that goes straight for the heart.
Not to mention the robots look absolutely fascinating, the fight sequences are pulse pounding and incredible.
If you ever wondered what the classy movie Rocky would be like if it were about a bunch of boxing robots, I highly recommend watching REAL STEEL..
A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.
I wanna talk about the robots first. Man, even the word ‘awesome’ doesn’t fairly describe how cool Noisy Boy, Atom, Midas, Zeus and the whole gang look, my goodness! And I’m glad the production didn’t go entirely CG with those bots, they hired the creative shop owned by the legendary FX master John Rosengrant (who worked with the late great Stan Winston for years) to come up with a few great animatronics and it’s a brilliant move because the interactions that Goyo’s character Max has with Atom are real, you can sense their connection in Goyo’s eyes because he didn’t have to imagine it or simply look at mark X or anything of the kind.
So the combo of those bots and the mo-capture CG handled by some of the best people in the business, result in sequences that will turn you into a believer.
When I’m rich someday, I’m gonna see if I could acquire Noisy Boy for my collection in my mansion, perhaps he could act as a greeter whenever a guest enters the front door.
The fights in this movie are intense and exciting, there’s never a dull moment. Whether it be the underground boxing where the rules don’t apply or at the WRB arena where the rules can be bent, the boxing sequences are well choreographed, they don’t insult certain audiences who may know boxing techniques by heart.
I hope there’d be a sequel. I’m aware that storytelling quality tends to diminish in sequels generally, but I’d rather have director Shawn Levy do this instead of the dreadful Night At The Museum franchise. Whatever keeps him from going back to that damn museum.
I think Levy’s and screenwriter John Gatin’s approach and tone for REAL STEEL are spot on. The father-son story doesn’t overpower the boxing scenes and vice versa, it’s a nice mix of entertainment and a family drama that’s not too dark and not too light either
Jackman is one of those good guys actors, you can’t help but like him, he’s a likeable dude, even when his character is a d*ck, which is why he’s perfect for the role of Charlie Kenton. He’s somewhat of a loser but part of you wants to see him win.
I find it interesting that Charlie’s kid Max (Goyo) seems more mature minded than his dad. Charlie is like a kid in an adult body, he’s so focused on big toys as long as they make money but when things start to go south, he freaks out instead of continuing to fight.
Max never really has his dad even when his dad stands right next to him because Charlie’s often got his mind on something else so there’s a pivotal moment nearing the final scene where Max sees his dad comes to life for the first time ever and that is the pretty much the whole essential point of REAL STEEL.
I’d like to think that exec producer Steven Spielberg may have some contribution to the emphasis of Goyo and the robot Atom because that relationship kinda reminds me of Elliot and E.T. or the kids and Bracchiosaurus in Jurassic Park, at least that’s the impression I get. Which is why J.J. Abrams had that scene of the kid standing face to face with the alien in Super 8 because that was something that’s so Spielberg-esque.
There’s a sense of awe that comes with curiosity. Max badly wants Atom, or anybody, to understand him, because his dad certainly doesn’t.
So the audiences get to wonder if Atom is more than just a robot. It’s a nice notion that adds to the story’s emotion.
Last but not least, I think this movie would not have worked if they’d cast the wrong kid and I’m glad Goyo played Max because Goyo is simply electrifying, his performance is effortless and beyond impressive. That kid needs to continue acting, he needs to make this his career because he’s seriously good at it.
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