Reel Steel

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Shawn Levy directs a film about monstrous robots that beat each other into scrap metal in the sci-fi, action drama Real Steel. Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is an ex-boxer who fixes up giant robots and travels to different towns having them fight in underground boxing rings. In debt from betting on the fights, Charlie is reunited with his 11 -year-old son Max (Dakota Goyo), and learns he can make a profit by keeping him for the summer. They both have a love for robots and when Max finds an old beat-up sparring robot named Atom, he fixes it up. Max wants to enter Atom into a fight and even though Charlie doesn’t think Atom will be any good, he reluctantly agrees and as expected the winning begins. Charlie is dating the daughter of his old boxing coach, Bailey Tallet (Evangeline Lilly) and she helps Charlie and Max begin to bond. (Of course, the money Max’s robot Atom is making doesn’t hurt either.) Eventually, Atom has a chance to fight the undefeated robot champion named Zeus in the official World Robot Boxing League for winner take all. If loud music, people cheering, and 2000 pound robots beating each other until they fall apart is your idea of entertainment, then this film is for you. There are some emotional moments thrown in that will appeal to the women, but some scenes are just a little too obvious. Yes, it is shallow and Max’s dialogue is more than a little corny yet it somehow fits the story. Basically, this is a feel good underdog story with exciting fight scenes. (I’m going to look for my old Rock’em Sock’em Robots toys and my Rocky movies.) I’m giving this fun film a B- rating.

This movie has been given a R rating by the MPAA

Although I am blind, I can appreciate a good movie as well as sighted individuals.
I rely more on a good story line than special effects.