Robot movie less about fighting, more about families

You might think that Real Steel is a redemptive story about a down-and-out old-time boxer who gets into the brave new world of robot boxing to prove his worth as a valuable and contributing member of society. You would be right, but only partially.

It’s actually about a down-and-out old-time boxer who does the robot-boxing thing, but the redemptive part is how he gains the love of the son he abandoned at birth.

A-ha! Now that’s a family movie with robots that we can all enjoy, right?

Not so much. Real Steel is okay if you’re a fan of family dramas and okay if you’re just looking for robot fighting action. Sadly, it’s a real snoozer with both elements together.

The year is 2020 and Hugh Jackman plays Charlie Kenton, a guy who lost his job because of technology. No one wants to see human boxers any more. It’s all about the iron giants duking it out in the ring. Naturally, someone has to operate the remote control so that’s what Kenton does. Too bad all of his robots are duds.

Then he learns that a long lost love has died, and he is left to care for their son, Max (Dakota Goyo). With gruff reluctance, he takes on the young charge, but only for two months. In that time he changes nothing about his life or lifestyle. He just keeps plugging away, trying to eke out a living in the sweet science of science fiction. Max, on the other hand, sees a better way.

After Charlie loses robots named Ambush and Noisy Boy, Max stumbles onto Atom at a junkyard. Atom was developed as a training robot (Charlie says it is only meant to take a beating but never dish out any real punishment). Like any plucky 11-year-old boy raised in the world of computer video games, he conducts some quick electronic wizardry and makes it into a solid contender. Sure, because that’s how the real world works.

The story then follows the rise of Atom as it veers toward a championship match with the undefeated Zeus. You might have already guessed that Charlie and Max also veer toward becoming an actual family unit, too.

The story is actually about how families should be able to take whatever chaos and conflict that comes, but only get stronger from it all. It’s a rather touchy-feely moral for an otherwise Rocky-esque action story with three-metre-tall fighting robots.

Real Steel is a bit boring, but still has its moments. Sure, it’s as predictable as the price of gas before a long weekend, but Jackman’s charm still cuts the mustard in this smarmy drivel. It can be fun, just as long as you’re not expecting anything deep, compelling or built to last the ages.