If you can adapt a theme park ride into a billion dollar blockbuster franchise about a drunken pirate holidaying in the Caribbean, you can adapt just about anything. That’s how we got Real Steel, a film that producers will vehemently defend against anyone claiming it’s an adaptation of the iconic tabletop boxing game, Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em.

Robot Jox was one of the first robot fighting adaptations and while slightly more complex than Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em… came at a time when the advances of CGI were very 1990. You’d expect more from a film set in post-World War III with Cyberstorm type weaponry, but Real Steel builds on the premise taking the action back to the boxing ring minus the rocket-launchers.

Robots boxing? Well, gloves or no gloves… it’s kind of primitive to think we still consider it entertaining to watch two grown men beat each other to a bloody pulp in a fight to wear some over-sized belt that’s too big to hold your pants up. Isn’t that what Fight Club’s for? The sport of boxing is age-old, but who says that the Tin Man wouldn’t make a worthy substitute? More machine power, more metal mayhem… maybe the geeks at Robot Wars are onto something?

“It’s all in the eyes… COME ON, where’s the fire?!”

Real Steel takes the Michael Bay Transformers hype, adds a classic sport movie theme and a charming father-son relationship with a bit of Disney heart. Thank goodness Wolverine a.k.a. Hugh Jackman is manly enough to turn Real Steel into a real fight movie. Without the tough guy and the tough title, it’d be a little hard to swallow the sentimental Disney sap that bleeds into the last round.

Schmarminess aside, Real Steel is pedal-to-the-metal entertaining and at just over two hours it more than earns the price of admission! Who can resist an underdog story about a fighter? Especially when Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo (apparently a boy’s name too) are co-leads. Jackman brings his cool, Gillette designer stubble finish to the mix as the dashing, yet misguided has-been and wannabe father figure. He’s supported by Dakota Goyo, a boy shadowing his father’s moxie and charm.

Night at the Museum and Date Night director, Shawn Levy, has the controller on this one. It’s surprising given his recent directorial credits, but it just reinforces the fact that this one isn’t all oil, metal and grit. It’s a thrill ride with interest points for young and old. Levy’s films have been entertainment vehicles and his experience of working with models and CGI on Night at the Museum gives him a knack for robot action.

“Human, prepare for a 12-round car crash…”

Although you could argue that his easy-going, good clean family fun entertainment may be a bit too broad. Perhaps it’s this attempt to meet everyone’s expectations and check all the boxes that limits most of his movies to a six-out-of-ten. It’s a feel good time at the movies, gives the popcorn more crunch but doesn’t leave enough of an impression – ironically making them light, yet rewatchable.

This is the case with Real Steel. The cast add the necessary charm, the futuristic robotic fight choreography give the fan boys a reason to cheer, the buddy relationship between father and son gives Real Steel mettle and heart, but these crowd-pleasing tactics are tarnished by heavy product placement and gooey heartwarming Disney magic.

Overall, a good value for money action sci-fi for the kid in all of us, but not as gritty or complex as some die-hard science-fiction fans would’ve hoped for. There’s already a sequel in the pipeline, so let’s hope they don’t have to rely on as much product placement overload and test audience feedback for the follow-up.

The bottom line: Entertaining

Release Date: 2 December, 2011

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