Monday, September 26, 2011

Real Steel (2011)

Stars - Hugh Jackman
          Evangeline Lily
          Dakota Goyo
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Summary: A boxing drama set in the near-future where 2,000-pound humanoid robots do battle. (via imdb). 
Okay, imdb, you let me down a little with that synopsis. It leaves out a huge portion of the plot. But, to be fair, that's all I was expecting out of this was a live-action Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, but it delivers so much more. 
At the heart of the movie, is a down on his luck former boxer who has lost all faith in himself, and the child he abandoned from birth. Of course, this being a Disney film (via Touchstone), the mother is naturally dead. I was pleasantly surprised by how touching and fun this movie was. It has a ton of heart and emotion. The action sequences were well handled and didn't seem to cartoonish in its CGI. 
This is more of a family movie than I had imagined as well. The crowd got really into the fight sequences, cheering and clapping.
The ending is somewhat predictable, but not entirely expected. The acting is great, especially the young son, Dakota Goya, who is like a talented Jake Lloyd, and bares a passing resemblance. Shawn Levy, more known for his family friendly films like Night at the Museum and The Pink Panther, does an admirable job with the action and keeps the reins in check on the pace. It plays well and is emotionally gripping. I highly recommend it for audiences of all ages.


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