“Seems kinda Circle of Life-y that on the day I earn mayorship of the movie theatre in Harvard Square, I lose it at the Regal Fenway. But c’est la vie.
Gotta admit, I was kinda apprehensive about Real Steel. Everytime I saw the trailer, it started off interesting, and then I’d roll my eyes as soon as I’d see the ‘bots fighting. Really? Really? That’s the movie? And they somehow got Hugh Jackman for this? Really? I saw the just over two hour run time and I worried I’d spend the whole time longing for the Pinkberry I’d promised myself after the flick (original with kiwi, granola, and fortune cookie). But you know what? Every 2+ hour movie that I’ve had reservations about due to the run time this fall has been good: Moneyball, Warrior, Real Steal. Yes, really.
I was just so into the whole thing, and it goes beyond my love of Hugh Jackman (and his huge ackman). The storyline was compelling, if cheesey and common. The bot fight scenes looked really good (Michael Bay, take note). The cast and characters were strong. The movie felt light and the pace was quick. It had that strong familial feel that I used to love in the early 90’s movies that’s become rare nowadays. Oh and bonus points for a great score from the wonderful Danny Elfman.
Im not even gonna comment about Jackman because it will all be gushing, and very much deserved. The one who really impressed me was the kid, Dakota Goyo. Not only could he hold his own against Wolverine, he gave him the proverbial verbal smackdown multiple times. This kid was actually stealing scenes from Hugh. Really! Props to Evangeline Lilly as well for grounding a lot of the emotional core of the movie. Wow that sentance was pretentious.
While the robot fighting thing may seem dumb from the outside, I really got into it. I feel that it’s a sport I could totally go for if it existed. I’ve always wanted to learn how to fight, but fear of getting hurt is among the many reasons why I never learned. This kinda takes that part out of the equation. Or maybe I’m just still on a fight-y kick from Warrior last month. Either way, World Robot Boxing FTW! Really!!
Real Steel – \m/ \m/ \m/ \m/