Real Steel

I'll be honest that I was biased against this movie before I ever saw it. After seeing the preview for Real Steel, I thought it looked like Transformers meets Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots or Rocky meets Wall-E. I didn't think I would really get into robots boxing each other so I took my time getting around to seeing this movie.

In Real Steel, Hugh Jackman continues the trend of making me feel like a girly man by showing off his huge vein covered biceps. Luckily he only took his shirt off once. He obviously has more discipline than Jason Strathan and Matthew McConaughey. I'm afraid I'm going to have to start watching more Woody Allen movies so I don't get an inferiority complex about my physique.

Anyway, this movie takes place in the near future and is about a deadbeat dad who is a washed up fighter who owes everyone money as a result of travelling around the country gambling on robot fights. He is friends with the chick from Lost and she is a single babe who hangs out in an empty boxing gym by herself. He finds out that his ex wife died and he is given custody of a son he has never met or had anything to do with. The father and son butt heads since they both have a lot of attitude, but they set out on the road together. They discover an old outdated robot in a junk yard that just happens to be able to beat up any other robot. The trio become successful as an underdog team and end up beating all of their opponents and are finally give the chance to fight Zeus, the worlds greatest fighting robot. (Did this script originate in Japan?). They become friends and it ends happily ever after.

I'll admit that Real Steel had some cool special effects. I liked how they were able to make a giant clunky robot dance. I thought Jackman, Lilly, and the kid had decent performances but I just had a hard time getting into it. Most people I've talked to liked it, but I can only give Real Steel 6.6 stars. Maybe it was just too much product placement.