Sometime in the near future, washed up boxer Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is traveling the back roads, trying to make a quick buck wherever he can with his fighting robots. The new "sport" of sorts has taken the world by storm, but Charlie finds himself in the back alleys and minor leagues. He receives the news that his estranged girlfriend has died, leaving him custody of their 11-year old son, Max (Dakota Goyo). Charlie agrees to take custody from Max's family for a few months and a price, but nothing goes easy between the long separated father and son. Helping the cause? Max is a huge fan of robot fights, even finding the mangled ruins of an old robot, a Generation 2 model named Atom. Can Charlie teach the worn robot some new moves and maybe get back on the right track in the ring?
Should I have been surprised here? The trailers did a pretty accurate job setting up the story; robots controlled by humans fighting in a ring, often times to the death. The trailer made the whole thing look comical, so ridiculously over the top that I couldn't take it seriously. I tried. I genuinely tried when I went and saw this movie, but I had way too much trouble going along for the ride. As is so often the case, there's potential. A Twilight Zone episode dealt with an almost identical topic, and basing a movie -- somewhat loosely -- off a Richard Matheson short story is never a bad jumping off point, but 'Steel' tries to be both Disney heart-warmer and futuristic, dark robots fighting story.
Turning Matheson's short story into a feature film, director Shawn Levy goes back to the well a little too often, ending with one of the most cliche-ridden movies in recent memory. Cliches can be good in small doses, but Levy wallops you repeatedly on the head with his. Now sports movies in general rely on cliches to move the story along, and that's fine. They're necessary, but use them from time to time, not to fill out every scene. There's the requisite robot training sequence, followed by the robot fighting sequence as Atom makes a "name" for himself. Then from Cliches 101, we get the estranged father and son learning to be father and son. I will wager anyone reading this review can predict the ending of the movie freakishly accurately.
What disappointed me in the execution was the Atom character. Yes, the robot. I'm not saying turn him into Herbie the Love Bug, a supposedly inanimate, heartless thing that turns into a living thing. But in a scene here and there, it is hinted that Atom is maybe something more than just a trash-heap robot. Nothing really comes of that though, the possible subplot being left by the side of the road. Is it a good sign though when the aging, fighting robot becomes the most sympathetic and most interesting character in the story? Eh, probably not. Atom is cool though, giving the sense of being more than just a robot without requiring the story to get mystical or other-worldly.
My possible saving grace going into the movie was that Hugh Jackman -- Broadway side trips aside -- is a Movie Star, one of the coolest actors around and a great presence on-screen regardless of the movie. His characterization of Charlie is nothing new, but even in the movie's cheesiest moments I found myself going along for the ride almost entirely because of Jackman. The story may be ridiculous, but if Jackman's going along with it the movie has to be sorta good, right? Playing his son Max, Goyo is hit or miss, mixing scenes where he clearly shows a legitimate acting ability with others where he looks like he's in over his head. Feel wrong criticizing an 11-year old actor? You bet, but Jackman helps carry him through the part.
Who else to look out for in the supporting cast? Lost star Evangline Lilly plays Bailey, an old "friend" of Charlie's and owner of a gym where he works out with the robots. Rising star Anthony Mackie is Finn, a gambler and promoter with his hand in everything in the robot fighting business. An underused part for Mackie, but still good to see him. Kevin Durand plays Ricky, a low-level but intimidating promoter who Charlie owes some serious money. Hope Davis appears briefly as Debra, Max's aunt fighting for custody. And because a movie needs some sort of outside force "bad guy," there's Karl Yune as Mashido, the "evil" robot designer, and Olga Fonda as Farra, the kingpin with all the money in the business.
Real Steel probably isn't as bad as I'm making it out to be, but it certainly isn't that good either. It's a tad long at 127 minutes and composer Danny Elfman's score is too generically inspirational. The interest levels pick up once Atom is discovered a little before the halfway point, but only a bit. To each his own -- reviews are surprisingly positive in general -- but I'd steer clear of this one.
Real Steel <---trailer (2011): * 1/2 /****
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