Nonstop Movies: ‘Real Steel’

Okay, I’ll admit it. When I first saw the trailer for “Real Steel,” I thought it was ridiculous and wondered why Hugh Jackman would appear in a film that would, without a doubt, bomb and make him lose all his cool points from “Wolverine.” But then I saw the movie, and I was surprised — even shocked — at how much I enjoyed it.

“Real Steel” is a little bit of “Rocky,” a little bit of “Over the Top,” and a lot of heart. It’s set in the near future when boxing and mixed martial arts are obsolete because people prefer to watch fights between robots, instead of humans. Jackman plays Charlie Kenton, a former boxer who now enters robots in underground fighting matches. He owes a bunch of money because not only do his robots lose, they’re destroyed, so he needs cash for more robots. Along comes his son Max (Dakota Goyo), who arrives after his mother passes away. Although Charlie initially couldn’t care less about Max and is ready to turn over custody to the government, he learns that Max’s wealthy aunt and uncle want custody and sees an opportunity to earn money by selling custody of Max for $100,000. The only condition is that Charlie must spend the summer with Max until the couple return from vacation.

As it turns out , Max is an avid robot boxing fan and persuades Charlie to take him along to his fights. Then while searching for spare parts after yet another defeat, Max literally stumbles upon Atom, an obsolete sparring robot buried in the mud of the junk yard. He quickly establishes a bond with the beat-up machine, and after cleaning him up, enters Atom in underground fights with Charlie’s guidance. They soon learn that Atom is much more than what he appears to be.

Even as I write about the plot, I once again get the same feeling I had when I first saw the trailer, that this movie is a lot of “been there, done that,” with lots of clichés. It seems destined to be boring, dumb and simplistic, yet the film works. Really works.

Jackman shows he has the charisma to be a leading man by making us root for his totally unlikable character. Charlie is washed up, reckless, cocky and lies to avoid paying his debts. He has no redeeming qualities, until his son gives him another opportunity at life. Still, Jackman makes you cheer for his loser of a character. Speaking of the son, Goyo is an excellent child actor and his performance is just as winning as Jackman’s. He plays Max as smart and ambitious, but still shows a childlike wonder. His dance scenes with Atom are especially fun to watch. Fans of the “Lost” series will also welcome two familiar faces — Evangeline Lily as Charlie’s love interest in a role that could have been forgettable, but that she makes interesting, and Kevin Durand as a cowboy chasing after Charlie for money.

In addition to great performances, the visual effects also are stunning. The robots appear real throughout the action sequences, and the shadowboxing scenes are technically brilliant as the robots match human moves so precisely. Director Shawn Levy has definitely upped his game after being known for dumbed-down comedies (“Night at the Museum,” “The Pink Panther,” “Cheaper by the Dozen”), and now I find myself actually looking forward to his next film.

I know it doesn’t seem possible based on the silly trailer, but “Real Steel” is a highly entertaining film that makes you cheer and smile by the end, despite its predictability. If you like feel-good films about underdogs, “Real Steel” is a film for you.

“Real Steel,” 127 minutes, is Rated PG-13 and opens today in theaters.