Culture

Director: Shawn Levy (3/5)

Robots are always fantastically awesome, especially when blown up to titanic size on the big screen. Fresh from Hollywood, Real Steel is the latest blockbuster to cash in on the robot craze. It's a slick effort. The film is set sometime in the not-so-distant future, when robot boxing is a big money sport. In huge arenas all over the world, robots (who bear a curious resemblance to Michael Bay's Transformers) fight each other to the death, raking in mountains of cash for their human trainers. Charlie (Hugh Jackman) is one such trainer. Although he was once a promising up-and-comer, Charlie has fallen upon hard times, owing thousands of dollars to shady guys in the robot-boxing underworld. His relationship with business partner Bailey (Evangeline Lilly) is also under strain, and Charlie needs to find himself some serious money. What he doesn't need is for his abandoned eleven-year-old son, Max (Dakota Goyo), to show up on his doorstep.
 
Presumably handed a nice big budget because it's a nice safe bet, Real Steel doesn't (excuse the pun) pack any punches. This is, after all, a movie directed by Shawn Levy – whose other film credits include Night at the Museum and The Pink Panther – and produced by Steven Spielberg. The characters are walking stereotypes, re-enforcing traditional gender roles, and the plot is formulaic. There's even some gimmicky gangster robot dancing in the mix. Despite this, the film manages to hold one’s attention. It's glitzy, it's a little dangerous, and it's surprisingly beautiful to watch. Real Steel is full of arthouse-worthy shots, including a prolonged magic-hour sequence right at the start. It might not be all that thought-provoking, but purely as an entertaining spectacle, Real Steel is almost worth a watch.
 
Although this is in no way a bad film, potential viewers should be warned: it probably won't change your life. Throw Transformers, Tron and ET into a blender, and you'll come out with something very close to Real Steel. If you happen to be babysitting some preteen males these school holidays, this is a sure-fire way to keep your charges occupied. They'll love the robot carnage, and you won't hate yourself for watching – especially if you're a fan of Hugh Jackman's muscles.