5M4M Contributor Christie O. Reviews Real Steel and calls it, “The Karate Kid. But With Robots.”
Hugh Jackman, a bunch of Rock ’em Sock ’em robots, underground fighting in the future. Real Steel seems like the ultimate boy film, doesn’t it?
Don’t let all that steel fool you.
The Plot
Directed by Shawn Levy, Dreamworks’ “Real Steel” is about three underdogs: a deadbeat dad & former boxer turned robot boxing promoter who’s racked up thousands in debt named “Charlie,” (Hugh Jackman), his estranged 11 year-old son, Max, who just lost his mother (Dakota Goyo) and a scrapped junkyard robot named “Atom.”
Charley and Max are unhappily reunited but find themselves in a unique partnership over their common interest: robot boxing. Their adventures take them through the wildly-inappropriate-for-an-11-year-old underground world of fighting robot machines (and crazy-looking men with mohawks and tattoos), and onward toward a journey of redemption and second chances. When it seems like all their luck’s run out, “Atom” finds them.
Fighting Machines
The movie is set in the “near future” of 2020 where robots pummeling each other have become more popular than humans pummeling each other. And because the movie is a mix of technology and old-fashioned boxing, the production team had to bring in some heavy hitters for assistance. Eight-foot tall robot replicas were created for the set for the actors to interact with at the urging of Executive Producer Steven Spielberg, and as for the boxing? None other than the legend himself, Sugar Ray Leonard, who choreographed the boxing moves and helped Hugh Jackman hone his skills.
The sound was spectactular.
Each robot was outfitted with his own “sound personality” from the sound of it powering up to the sounds of the crashing of their particular metals and the sounds they came up with for each robot matched the feeling and the personality that you’re supposed to get out of each one. It somehow made the robots, which were only supposed to be metal, wires and mechanics, a little something more. And there were a couple of scenes where Real Steel left you wondering if there was something more to them, too. (A conscience, perhaps?)
The soundtrack (which included a wide spectrum mix of Eminem to Foo Fighters) was great and the sound of metal crashing on metal was heart thumping and actually brought out the fighter in me (I didn’t know there was one!)
A Story with Heart
On the surface it appears (and sounds) like a true man’s movie (here’s where I flex and use my deep voice), but actually it is a story with heart. It is less like Transformers and more like The Karate Kid with robots and yes, I was actually surprised — in a good way.
At times I found myself laughing out loud, cheering while simultaneously broken-hearted (as a mom to boys, it is hard to watch a motherless 11-year-old take part in underground robot boxing with his deadbeat dad *shudder* I really just wanted to reach through the screen and hug him.) Even with a somewhat predictable plot, I still watched through my fingers while at the edge of my seat, in fact, I pretty much ran the gamut of emotions which also included some tears, and when a movie (even one about fighting robots) can do that to me, I appreciate it very much.
Real Steel is PG-13 for some violence, intense action and language, so it’s a little out of the little kid age range (and rightly so). But Real Steel is an enjoyable ride.
Real Steel hits theaters today, Friday, October 7.
Enter to win
And yes there is a prizepack giveaway involved in this one too! For the price of one comment below, you can win a Real Steel prize pack that includes:
- An adult sized t-shirt in S,M,L or XL
- A bottle opener (for cocacola bottles or mommy & daddy timeouts)
- Real Steel tattooes and stickers
Leave a comment below to be entered into the drawing. The contest will run until October 21, 2011 at midnight ET and a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email shortly after the end time. Please see our site’s terms and conditions for more information.
Disclosure: Christie O. screened the movie for this review and was not compensated for this post.
Real Steel is a great movie! I watched it online on watchrealsteelonline.co.cc and loved it! If you like boxing, its for u!
It sounds like a great movie. Thanks for the giveaway.
I would love to win this great movie t shirt.
I love Hugh Jackman and am looking forward to seeing this movie.
Definitely cant wait to see this movie!!!
Thanks for the great contest!
bahjeep@aol.com
Definutly looks like a great movie, and it’s got Hugh Jackman!
My son and husband really liked this movie.
we’re planning to go see this movie this weekend, it looks like a good one!
I can’t wait to see this movie
My 9 yr old son is really wanting to see this movie.He wants to see it so badly that he actually offered to use his birthday to pay lol.Thanks!
lstanziani(at)yahoo(dot)com
This movie looks really good, I cant wait to see it.
I would love to win this giveaway….I have really wanted to see this movie with my family. I love Hugh Jackman in movies too!
I can’t wait to see this movie! I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. :o)
Saw this movie and absolutely loved it!
jdmimi at gmail dot com
Had the pleasure of seeing Reel Steel over the weekend and I thought it was a great family movie. All my boys loved it. We are so going to buy it on dvd when it comes out. Great sound track also.
I want to win this so bad for a friend who is a big fan of this movie.
I so wanna see this movie Hugh Jackman rocks my world lol
Aw yeah, Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots the Movie!
thanks
Thank you for the great giveaway please count me in 🙂
kathypease(at)gmail(dot)com
enter me thanks
It was another great Hugh Jackman movie. Thanks for the great movie and hope to win 🙂 XL
I saw a trailer for this movie and thought it looked kind of cute.
I loved this movie. I was a little skeptical at first but i really loved it!
This looks like a fun action packed movie.
I cant wait to see this, i love hugh jackman. movie looks like something i can watch with the kids.
kadia3 at yahoo dot com
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Thanks
My son is dying to see this movie
I would like this.
Great movie! Thanks for the chance to win this awesome stuff 🙂
great movie, hope I win
I follow you on GFC, subscribe to your email and like you on Facebook! I would love to win this for my son! Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
Renee Walters
bored2quickly@hotmail.com
I would love to win this for my son! Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
Renee Walters
bored2quickly@hotmail.com
I can’t wait to check out this movie the trailers are great.
My son wants to see this asap!
My husband can’t wait to see this movie!
Looks like this would be a great movie for both kids and adults.
I saw it and loved it!
Looks like a winner.
Wow! can not wait to see with the kid’s.
My hubby got so excited when he saw the tailor to this movie. I would love to win this for him!
thanks for the chance
nannypanpan at gmail.com
This movie sounds like it will be great to watch.
I like the commercials, so I am sure the movie is great!
THANKS for the chance! fingers crossed
My husband and I can not wait to go see this.
Look’s to be a great movie, cant wait to see it.
Thanks for the review. It makes me more inclined to see this one, which I originally thought looked like a Transformers B-movie.
I love this different take on robots!
this looks like a great movie!
What a fun giveaway to go along with the movie! Thank you for the chance to win! 🙂
Would love to win this!!
I’ll be watching this with my husband and boys when it comes out on DVD. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thank you for hosting this giveaway
Louis
pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com
Hmmmm just saw this preview-didn’t even notice there were robots in this film….Hugh
looks like a fun movie!
We are looking forward to this move. Way too few movies that I can take our son to. Nice!!
thank you so much for the giveaway tis sounds like an awesome movie cant wait to see it
Who doesn’t love robots? This looks very cool.
My 22yo son and my husband cant wait to see this. And since Hugh is in it neither can I
Judy
My husband is really excited to see this! It looks like a great movie.
My husband really wants to see this!
I can’t wait to see this movie. It looks like a great story and I love Hugh Jackman.