Real Steel (2011)
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In a future where human boxing is replaced by robots, a down-on-his-luck former boxer and his son team up to train a discarded machine for the championship.
The story
In the 2020s, human boxing has been replaced by robot fighting. Charlie Kenton, a former boxer, finds himself in a desperate situation after a failed bet and the death of his ex-girlfriend. He is granted a brief period of custody for his son, Max. To make a living, Charlie and Max acquire an old robot named Noisy Boy. However, after Noisy Boy is destroyed, they discover a discarded, high-tech sparring robot named Atom. The pair begins to train Atom, hoping to find success in the World Robot Boxing circuit while navigating the complexities of their fractured father-son relationship.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the 2020s, robot boxing has replaced human competition. Charlie Kenton, a former boxer, is struggling to care for his son Max after his ex-girlfriend's death. After his robot, Ambush, is destroyed, Charlie and Max find a discarded robot named Atom. They discover Atom has a 'shadow function' that allows it to mimic and learn movements. They begin a winning streak in the World Robot Boxing circuit, eventually earning a match against the champion, Twin Cities. During the fight, Charlie identifies a flaw in the champion's movements and wins by knockout. However, after being robbed of their winnings, Charlie initially gives up on his bond with Max. Eventually, they reconcile and enter a final, high-stakes match against the undefeated champion, Zeus. During the fight, Atom's systems are damaged, forcing Charlie to manually control the robot's movements. They manage to defeat Zeus, and although the robot is critically damaged, they are hailed as champions, solidifying their bond as father and son.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Shawn Levy
- Writers
- John Gatins · screenplay; Dan Gilroy · story; Jeremy Leven · story
- Cast and characters
- Hugh Jackman · Charlie Kenton; Dakota Goyo · Max; Evangeline Lilly; Anthony Mackie; Kevin Durand
- Genres
- science fiction; sports; action
- Themes
- father-son relationship; man vs. machine
- Tone and mood
- nostalgic; action-packed
- Premise and plot tags
- robot boxing; sports drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Short story 'Steel' by Richard Matheson
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances and visual effects, but criticized the formulaic plot.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 60% · scale: percentage · review count: 233; Metacritic · score: 56 · scale: 100 · review count: 34
- Awards and nominations
- Best Visual Effects · Academy Awards · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film used motion capture technology to depict the robot fighting.; The film's score was composed by Danny Elfman.; The film was based on a 1956 short story and a 1963 Twilight Zone episode.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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