DVD RvReview: Real Steel
Robots. You can’t make a movie these days without ’em. They’re the new vampires. Or the old zombies. Anyway, they’re everywhere. But will they be any cooler when they’re controlled by Wolverine? Ross McG finds out…
Real Steel (two stars)
Not only are The Transformers movies risible in their own right, their success has given the green light to a trail of other clunky robot action. As if their premise of two robots hitting each other over and over again wasn’t dull enough, Reel Steel limits that scenario even further by narrowing the space in which they can hit each other to a wrestling ring. It’s Rocky v Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, except without the emotion of Rocky and without the emotional depth of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. Hugh Jackman plays a former boxer and deadbeat dad who makes ends meet by controlling a robot fighter, in between bouts of arguing with his estranged son. Imagine an entire film in which Hugh Jackman plays a video game while arguing with his son. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it? Well, it is.
This review first appeared in the Metro newspaper.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF REAL STEEL?
Ross v Ross 
February 23, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Booooo! I demand a re-count!!!
Favourite film of last year, despite being cheese-covered cheese… it’s Over The Top with robots, but I couldn’t help but love it. The final fight. Punching the air. Welling up.
It did look absolutely epic for CGI robots.
February 23, 2012 at 5:42 pm
I give you this much, Para, the last few fights had decent moments when the film finally realised it was a kids movie. which is why it got two stars instead of one. Jackman was ridiculously hammy in it. The robot was more believable.
February 24, 2012 at 5:10 am
I watched this for the first time a few months ago and wrote a review on my blog. The robot fights were good but I couldn’t get past how much I hated Jackman’s character. He’s a total jerk yet we’re supposed to find it charming? And the kid was beyond annoying so my thoughts are with you!
February 24, 2012 at 8:30 am
i thoroughly enjoyed this movie 🙂
February 25, 2012 at 5:59 am
The ending was just odd…
‘How’s the film going?’
‘Yeah. Not bad, not bad.’
‘I meant to ask, did you guys work out an antagonist for it?’
‘Wha’?’
‘You know someone we can boo and hiss. Get on teh side of the goodies.’
‘Shiiiii… Yeah, we’ve got something. How about, um, a robot caaaaaalled Zeus?’
‘Like it. Why’s he bad?’
‘Coz the kid calls him out towards the end…’
‘Right. You’ve zoned out haven’t you?’
‘Yeaaaaahh.’