Real Steel Review

• 11th Oct 2011

Fans of Robot Wars should ignore the trailer and head down to watch this film. A real look into the future of boxing, gaming and electronics, Real Steel gives an accurate depiction of where we’re heading in the not too distant future. I say that having seen the film and the scene where a robot punches a bull in the face. That’s right, in the face – and I’m still encouraging you to see this film.

Hugh Jackman plays Charlie Kenton, a down and out Robot boxing promoter. He’s hit rock bottom, lost his last fighting robot and a considerable bet to a very unsavoury character. Just when it couldn’t get any worse, he finds out that his ex-girlfriend has died, leaving him with a son he hasn’t bothered to get to know. Dakota Goyo plays Max Kenton, his son, who discovers a fighting robot that he and his father train together and go on to fight with in the big leagues.

This film hits a key demographic, those who grew up on ridiculous 80’s fare and Robot Wars. Fans of the gratuitous dance number, included for no good reason, the overkill with the emotional sentiment crammed down your throat and the overly epic soundtrack will thoroughly enjoy this film.

The film has some excellent comedic touches running all the way through it; a robot punching himself in the face, a robot doing the robot dance and a ridiculous robot looking in the mirror self-discovery scene. This film is hugely entertaining and fun. It in no way takes itself seriously; the emotional moments caused outright laughter in the cinema. But it’s alright; who’s ever taken the poignant moments in Top Gun or Rocky seriously?

Three things that should get special mention are the Robots, the soundtrack and the production sets. The three come together to create this absolutely credible world and the level of detail that has gone into this film is what makes it complete. The Robots are utterly realistic and Michael Bay and his ilk should look at this film as an example of how to make a Robot film work. The soundtrack is a character in itself, really driving the story and setting the emotional tempo. The sets are incredible and combine a near future and contemporary world perfectly. Details down to the posters on the wall, the Zoo, the animation on the arena walls really enrich the film.

The performances are super hokey, the script is pretty Disney-ish and the kid is really precocious. But somehow it just works, we’re not getting an in-depth character study; we’re being entertained, everyone’s having fun and you don’t need to think at all. Hugh Jackman plays the irredeemable father figure with theatrical relish; he’s sold his son to his god-parents, taken his son thieving and forgotten how old he is. It’s all so unbelievable that it just becomes pure comedy. In any other film I’d rattle against the cloying Evangeline Lilly, but it somehow fits with the ensemble of sillyness.

There is something to be said about a film that hits you with every cliché in the book, but still somehow works. And this film works really well because it is an old-fashioned, feel-good film. Watch it in the cinema, where you can intimidated by Zeus the evil robot, feel awed by the music and feel unapologetically pleased at the predictable ending. As for me, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Rocky style six-part sequel.

Maliha Basak