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Men In Black 3

It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.

Bel Ami

The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.

The Dictator

A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.

The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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Real Steel (Film)

by Michael Simms | October 04, 2011 13:43 | Edited October 04, 2011 16:27

With robots kicking butt and nicely developed family drama, this is a heartfelt and quality slice of cinematic escapism.

Though he is best known for directing family fodder such as Night at the Museum, and Cheaper by the Dozen, Shawn Levy toughens up in this futuristic boxing drama - and whilst the hardened cynics are sure to back away from the clichéd father and son bonding on display, the blend of melodrama, sport and action is sure to pack a punch for cinemagoers seeking straightforward escapism.

 

Inspired by Richard Matheson's short story, Real Steel is set in a not too distant future where giant remote controlled robots battle it out in WWE style arena-spectaculars. Hugh Jackman plays Charlie, an opportunistic louse, whose fizzled boxing career has left him short on cash and low on integrity, but his worthless existence is shaken up when he finds himself guardian to Max (Dakota Goyo), the child he unknowingly fathered eleven years ago. Though they fail to hit it off at first, the pair enters the world of robot boxing, and as their career in the ring begins to flourish, so too does their bond as father and son...

 

Part sci-fi, family drama and sport movie, the high-concept works surprisingly well, with Levy exercising a level of restraint in the visual effects department. The blend of real remote control robots and CGI instils these mechanical beasts with a tactile quality that is often missing in its Hollywood counterparts. Though the fighting sequences are high octane, there has been a conscious effort to balance this with the father/son drama.

 

There are no real surprises as the narrative unfolds, but the relationship at the heart of Real Steel manages to shine thanks to the believable chemistry between Jackman and Goyo. Though Max teeters on becoming a grating and precocious child hero, Goyo injects him with enough vulnerability and charisma to win audiences over and his self-assurance will surely inspire younger viewers.

 

Unfortunately, things short-circuit in the conclusion, with Levy resorting to slow motion air-punching montages that fail to tie up the drama satisfactorily. Nonetheless, Real Steal exudes genuine warmth, and is a sure fire winner for families seeking out heartfelt drama and robots kicking butt.