Real Steel (2011)

[Dave]

Creating a new thread.

Starring: Hugh Jackman
Director: Shawn Levy

U.S. Opening Date: October 7th, 2011

A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech, Real Steel stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring.

Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender.

As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

Based on an original Twilight Zone episode.

[FireDragon-16]

I want to see this so bad!!! I love Hugh Jackman!

My parents went to see it and they both loved it, my mom even cried, so that's a good sign.

[Dave]

We have a TV programme in the UK called Robot Wars. However, those robots use chain saws, flame-throwers and pick-axes to battle each other. Compared to that, Boxing robots seem a little tame.

I've found out that the 1963 Twilight Zone episode "Steel" was itself based on a Richard Matheson's short story. Also, "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot", a 2004 episode of The Simpsons, was inspired by this episode.

What is the appeal of Hugh Jackman?

[FireDragon-16]

Originally Posted by Dave

We have a TV programme in the UK called Robot Wars. However, those robots use chain saws, flame-throwers and pick-axes to battle each other. Compared to that, Boxing robots seem a little tame.

I've found out that the 1963 Twilight Zone episode "Steel" was itself based on a Richard Matheson's short story. Also, "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot", a 2004 episode of The Simpsons, was inspired by this episode.

What is the appeal of Hugh Jackman?

When we saw the one of the first teasers, we thought they'd somehow managed to create a movie about Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots...but then we saw that it was about virtual fighting.
I gotta say, after flamethrowers and pick-axes it would seem a little tame but still..

That's really cool. I've been watching old epsiodes on SyFy occasionally

Um...not really sure, I just really like him.

[Connavar]

The most interesting part about this film is that it made me go hm i must find the original short story by Matheson.

It can be fun dvd film but hell no i will pay for this kind of film in this cinema.

Many better looking films on now and coming soon. Tintin/Immortals/Drive/Tides of March/ enough for me this month.

[clovis-man]

Originally Posted by Dave

I've found out that the 1963 Twilight Zone episode "Steel" was itself based on a Richard Matheson's short story. Also, "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot", a 2004 episode of The Simpsons, was inspired by this episode.

I read a short story in the 1950s called "Jingle In The Jungle". It featured a boxing trainer named Charlie Jingle who had pieced together an old boxing robot for a big fight in which, of course, the odds were not in his favor. Can't remember the author. But it seems the idea of fighting machines is not at all a new thing.

[Foxbat]

I have to admit that this movie is very unlikely to be seen by me in the near future. The premise just doesn't do anything for me.

However, on the point of Hugh Jackman - I wasn't that impressed by him until I saw him in The Prestige and The Fountain. Both of these movies are his very best work and stand head and shoulders above everything else he's done so far in my opinion. Maybe not a great actor but a very good one given the right circumstances.

[Connavar]

So has anyone here seen it ? I saw it last night and thought it was a fun film to watch. If you like exciting hollywood boxning films you will like it.

[Jeffbert]

Does the manager/trainer wear the robot's body and go against the other robot, as depicted in the TTZ's STEEL?

[Dave]

I finally just watched this last night.

Originally Posted by Jeffbert

Does the manager/trainer wear the robot's body and go against the other robot, as depicted in the TTZ's STEEL?

The answer to that is no, which does tend to completely alter the story. In this story the son finds a discarded robot buried in mud in a scrapyard. It is an early model, but an exceptional mimic. The father actually teaches the robot to box, and that gives it the advantage over other fighting robots.

There is a sub-plot about the father getting to know the estranged son he has never met and the two of them bonding together. My own son decided that this was to make the film appeal to chicks.

It was so exciting I fell asleep during the climax.

I still don't understand the attraction of Hugh Jackman (though I'd agree about The Prestige), and I'm quite sure that were we to be watching robots fight in the future they would have flame-throwers, buzz-saws and lightening bolts, rather than just box.

Also the precocious 'Anakin Skywalker' like kid became annoying, though Evangeline Lilly is nice to watch.

This is a wait for the TV showing film.

[biodroid]

I enjoyed it. Apart from the redemption story line those robots are very well done. And dont forget kids and 20 cans of cola dont mix well

[Sfactor123]

I really like this film, it is a brilliant film, the fighting sequences between the robots were like visual treats, I liked Hugh Jackman in it, he was the perfect choice for the role.

[planetocean]

I enjoyed that movie, and I love that robot, he is so human like in a way.

[Dozmonic]

After all I had heard about the movie I expected it to be far worse than it was. Go into it expecting nothing and you might come out pleasantly surprised :-)