Release Date: January 24, 2012
Length: 127 minutes
Rating: PG-13
T2 Score: 2 1/2 out of 4
Take a little bit of Rocky 4, shake it up with Iron Giant, you get Real Steal! The story of humans working together with robots to come from behind is now available in a 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack from DreamWorks Studios.
It all begins with a young teenage boy named Max who finds his way back to his father (Charlie) through the loss of his mother. The two struggle when spending time together, but find one common interest that they can agree on, boxing robots. However, they definitely struggle to agree on things – even after discovering an worn out and rusted robot named Atom. With a little bit of work, Max is able to get this old fighter back in shape and in to the ring. It’s hear where Charlie learns all about who is father really is and Max gets a new perspective on his life as the two take on the biggest and baddest robots in the world.
While this is definitely not the most original story, it’s definitely made for a different audience. Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo have a great chemistry together and the robots are really impressive (they also, making the brutal sport a little more palatable). I was definitely surprised with what it had to offer and found it very entertaining.
The 1080p picture shows off the great detail put into Real Steel. The decision to work with real robots (props/puppets) as much as possible it truly convincing when you see all the dirt, dust, rust and all those other details found outside of the CG world.
In terms of audio, wow! The DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack is phenomenal balancing the music and ambient sounds from large stadiums full of screaming fans, to the sounds of nature found in rural areas. It also does a superb job of the supporting role by making those robots come to life.
Bonus Features:
• REAL STEEL SECOND SCREEN
• Countdown to the Fight—The Charlie Kenton Story
• Sugar Ray Leonard: Cornerman’s Champ
•Deleted and Extended Scenes with introductions by Shawn Levy
—Extended “Meet Ambush”
—Deleted “Butterfly” Storyline
• Making of Metal Valley
• Building the Bots
• Bloopers
If you’re looking for action, this movie delivers some but it truly is the story of a young boy renewing a relationship with his father. Unfortunately, the studio had the idea to push this picture in the direction of teenage boys by pushing it PG-13 (primarily due to language). Had they chose to make this one a little more family friendly it might’ve been more successful at the box office.