Take the video game R.A.D. and combine it with Rock'em Sock'em Robots and you have 'Real Steel'. The post summer blockbuster movie, directed by Shawn Levy ('Night at the Museum'), is about a dad (Hugh Jackman) and his son (Dakota Goyo) bonding and just getting to know one another while attempting to make a name for themselves in world of robotic boxing.
We'll start were it matters with a movie like this, the action and effects. To say the least; they're awesome. I would even go as far as to say that the robots in this film looked better than the ones in any of the Transformers' films. Now sure that has a lot to do with the fact that they aren't meant to look like like big transforming robots from outer space and more like something we could possibly build. Regardless though they look better. The fights were all very well done too. Sure it's all computer animated, so the robots don't really move like "robots" should but it looked good. In fact most of the fights had a very 'Rocky' feel to them. Something most boxing movies would kill to have said about them. On a side note though, and this is just something weird that I noticed about the film, you only ever see one robot actually get into the ring. I know it's a strange thing to point out, but as a fan of boxing and other fighting sports I noticed that you never get to see the robots full entrance. Moving on.
It's rare for movies now a days to really grab a hold of you and make you care about the characters but 'Real Steel' does this flawlessly. Before you know it you're cheering for this father and son combo to win and ultimately just be happy. The story itself is quite predictable and nothing about the film is going to surprise anyone. Clichés that we've all seen before combined with a story we've all heard before may not sound all that good, but when they're done this nicely you just can't help but to admire the work of art that they create.
In closing here I say for everyone to go see this movie. Guys, girls, and families this film can be enjoyed by everyone and I definitely recommend seeing it. Also 'Real Steel' is far superior to the disaster that was 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' and actually knows how to mix a good story, great acting, comedy, and robot action all into a nice two hour bundle. Just saying.
