Real Steel

I may come across as a fool, but I really liked this film. I didn't expect to get a highly uplifting philosophical experience from it, nor did I expect to feel artistically fulfilled in any way. Hugh Jackman has indeed starred in The Fountain, which I consider significantly better than the film The Tree of Life, but Real Steel certainly didn't present itself as an artistically ambitious film from the start. We don't get anything like that either. It's a blockbuster that wants to impress us with its visuals, which it does quite well, as the robot battles are fantastic, while also presenting a straightforward, simple, and overly Hollywood story. Charlie is a loser, a former boxer who has had to readjust a bit. In the near future, people don't want to see bloodied human boxers; they want to see boxing robots. Strange, but so be it. Robot boxing is the sport of the future, and Charlie has to become a fighter, meaning he controls the robot in the ring. The robots here are not humanized in any way; they are basically just smaller versions of Transformers. Charlie may be a loser, but he discovers he has a son who surprisingly can help him become a real champion. Don't worry, there’s no blood, so you can watch the film without any issues with children, who will be delighted that the ugly old robot, which isn’t nice at all, might just become the champion of champions. (2013-02-25)

An ordinary film, I can't think of a better descriptor. The visuals are nice, like Transformers – it can't get much better. Hugh Jackman is a likeable dad and the chemistry between him and Evangeline Lilly is very good. The child in the main role is excellent, too. Otherwise, it's a pile of clichés about how a father dad becomes a good dad, how a loser and troublemaker becomes a proper man, and how the last chance usually works out. If you're expecting real emotions in the ring, better watch Warrior or a ton of other films with less family and more social focus dealing with racial issues or criticizing “humanity”. If you want a farce like Cinderella Man, that's more or less what Real Steel is, just this one is rated PG13 – money is also made from children. I don't want to say it’s a complete piece of crap, but there's definitely no deeper thought or anything that would make me want to see it again or remember it. (2012-02-03)

A watchable popcorn flick with a clear target audience, built on boxing movie clichés and relying solely on the core robot gimmick. It's pulled forward by the likeable Jackman and the fights in the ring, but it's knocked down by predictability and a runtime that is too ambitious for such a simple film. For one viewing only, but definitely a nice sci-fi nod to the Rocky of the genre. (2018-08-15)

One of the most enjoyable mainstream Hollywood movies of the year. Though it’s packed with clichés about family values, it’s not annoying. The film skilfully blends elements of the ’80s with modern trends and it’s obvious that the filmmakers love their story and characters and care about the result. And that’s something rare in the Hollywood mainstream (Rise of the Planet of the Apes was also surprising in the same way this year, and to an even greater extent). Shawn Levy has finally shown himself to be a very good, enthusiastic director who only needs a high-quality screenplay (Real Steel touches the heart more than Spielberg’s Tintin). The precisely written characters devotedly played by Hugh Jackman and young Dakota Goyo make the film personal and sincere. The emotions between them are enhanced by the brisk energy of the great robot boxing matches, which know exactly where to add and where to take away. Real Steel made me happy and filled me with positive energy. (2011-11-06)

Transformers has a lot of money for breathtaking effects, but Real Steel has heart, which is the most important thing. Straightforward family entertainment with a straightforward script and an annoying wise geezer in the main role. But everything is so nice, and even the annoying wise geezer ends up begin likeable, that it was a lot of fun to watch. In a nutshell, a pleasant surprise, though the robot fights could have been shot with more dynamism and tension, they felt too much like a routine. Overall, though, nice pop-corn fun. (2012-01-06)