If you’re looking for a film with a little bit of everything this summer, you will not be disappointed by Real Steel, a science fiction tale with a twist. The film sees Hugh Jackman playing Charlie, an ex-champion boxer who finds himself out of a job when robots replace humans in the boxing ring(2000lb, 8-ft, indefatigable robots, that is). After all, human bodies ultimately have limits, but robots can be re-built and re-designed again and again.
So with Charlie’s chance of winning the championship over, he teams up with long-lost son Max to build a robot that can fight for him. As father and son work together to get Atom the robot in peak fighting condition, they also begin to overcome their own difficulties and establish a closer father-son relationship.
Although the Real Steel movie may seem hyper-modern, it’s actually based on a 1956 short story by Richard Matheson. Adapted into a screenplay by Dan Gilroy, the original setting of a dystopian future has been replaced by state fairs and some traditional all-American locations, although the story in its most basic form remains largely unchanged.
Hugh Jackman in particular was keen to make a film that was different to the traditional robot offerings, brighter and a bit more upbeat. As intimidating as the robots are, you’ll soon find yourself rooting for Atom, a beat-up husk when Charlie and Max find him but also a machine that displays a certain amount of cunning and fighting prowess. Indeed, he has the uncanny ability to pick up any fighting move shown to him, affording Charlie the perfect opportunity to dust off his old moves once again.
Shot on location in Michigan, producers used a mixture of animatronic robots and motion-capture technology to create the intricate fight scenes. And while audiences may expect action man Hugh Jackman to be doing the odd fight scene of his own, his role in this is largely confined to that of the corner man, think Angelo Dundee to the robot’s Muhammad Ali. Try not to be too disappointed ladies, it’s not all Hugh-with-his-top-off!
That’s not to say Hugh did nothing; the fight scenes between Atom and the other contenders really did take place, after the producers had four real-life robots purposively built. Hugh operated the robots himself, and with a mixture of clever camera angles and high-tech experts on hand to draw everything together, the fight scenes began to take shape. The producers believed that this combination would enhance the film, helping to make everything more believable. They also thought it would help the actors give credible performances opposite their animatronic co-stars.
And while the story is set in a robot-dominated future, that’s not to say there’s not some lighter moments. Dakota Goyo as Charlie’s son Max is charmingly cheeky, especially when it comes to getting his own way: “I’m either coming with you, or your keys are going down the drain… Oh my God that was close!”. And the redemptive tale of a father and son working through their difficult past and taking on new challenges together is as heart-warming as it is unexpected, given the film’s main topic of boxing, brawling and rather scary-looking machines.
As the Real Steel trailer shows, audiences can expect an energetic, action-packed and fast-paced film with a very human central theme. And the film’s bosses are clearly confident of its success; the green light has already been given for a sequel and filming is expected to begin in October. So if there’s one film you really need to catch this summer, it is Real Steel, a future boxing classic and an unexpectedly warm tale about believing in yourself. Out on October 7th, book your tickets and get ready for an entertaining and thrilling show.