Last week I was part of a group of mom and dad bloggers invited by Walt Disney Motion Pictures and DreamWorks to attend a screening of the movie Real Steel and then conduct interviews with members of the cast and crew; including the dreamy Hugh Jackman.
I have to admit I thought it was odd that Disney would put so much emphasis on promoting what seems like a robot and dark-action movie to a group of parent bloggers which are usually writing about movies featuring princess, fairies and animated animals. Just a bit far-fetched for me, but I decided to go along for the ride. Oh, was I proven wrong!
I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised by how unexpectedly heartwarming Real Steel is. Yes, there´s lots of huge {and cool!} robots punching and wrestling each other to pieces, but there’s also an endearing father/son story that will rip your heart to pieces.
It really is difficult to perceive the father/son plot because of the way the movie is being marketed; the posters only show the robots, the boxing ring and Hugh Jackman in fighting poses, but there’s much more to it and something for everyone in the family, plus a couple of tears here and there!
Every person we interviewed, from the director Shawn Levy, to the Producers and even Hugh Jackman, kept going on and on about how they have invited their kids and parents to watch it and they’ve all enjoyed it for different reasons. Director Shawn Levy thinks of Real Steel “as a father/son movie with drama and action, but that appeals to all in the family.” So much so, that he even casted three of his young daughters to play a small role in the movie.
The story starts in the year 2020 where the sport of boxing is no longer performed by humans, but by huge robots and it’s the number one sport in the world. We meet Charlie Kenton {Hugh Jackman}, a cynical and rough ex-boxer, who is always looking for an easy buck with his own fighting robots. In a turn of events, he’s reunited with his pre-teen son Max, played by the adorable Dakota Goyo, who has lost his mother and now needs to be taken care of, at least temporarily, by the father he never knew.
Max has grown up infatuated by fighting robots and proves to be a bit of a genius in the matter. He has to fight hard to win over his dad’s heart and to renew his own trust in the man that was never there for him. The father that was a fighter, but never fought for his own son.
The performances are stellar and lead the story every step of the way. The story isn’t even lost to the magnificent animatronics and motion capture robots that could easily steal the scene. The effects and the robot fights are so real and so well-integrated into the plot that you will believe it all; and no, it’s not even in 3D!
I do think this movie is better suited for kids seven and above, but it’s up to every parent to know their kid’s maturity level. Regardless, be prepared to enjoy it as much as they will.
I love this clip where you can have fun showing your kids why it’s important to know more than one language…Japanese to speak to robots!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt2ErSCDLSU&feature=channel_video_title
Real Steel opens in theaters and IMAX nationwide this Friday, October 7th. You can keep up will all the action and join the fun at the Real Steel Facebook Page here.
Share: Are you planning on going to see Real Steel? Why or why not?
Great article! I enjoyed this movie and I continue to watch it when I can with my son. We rely on the Blockbuster @ Home where we get access to thousands or movies, TV shows and games. I added this to my account for just $10 per month and DVDs are sent to my home, and while I wait I can still stream a movie to my iPad or TV. The in-store exchange works fabulous when I need a quick swap. I never had features like this when I had Netflix. I’m happy that my coworker from DISH told me about setting up an excellent feature like this.