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Wednesday, April 24, 2024
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HOLLYWOOD REAL STEEL
EDITOR'S PICK
Rating:
***1/2
In this age, we crave for technology so much that even a brainless film with a
lot of tech and action thrown in works. The loud, garish and pointless
Transformers series is a case in point. Yet, a sci-fi, technological
film, need not be so bad. Want proof, watch Real Steel that combines
the best of tech effects with the soul of Rocky.
In a not-so-distant future, robot boxing is big. Charlie (Hugh Jackman), a cocky
promoter spoils his chances by making some rash calls. An unsentimental guy, he
even uses the son, Max (Dakota Goyo), whom he had deserted for money. However,
the sensibility and sensitivity of this 11-year-old kid changes his fortune and
his life as a junk robot, with a heart of steel and the soul of a
champion, turns out to be a winning prizefighter.
It should be clear at the onset that there`s really nothing original about
Real Steel. It`s not even a very creative reworking of cliches that
most art films these days seem to be. Instead, it plays along with the cliche,
but with the endearing lightness that makes it a worthwhile watch. Despite its
hackneyed plot and predictable subplots, it has the nimble footwork of a
heavyweight boxer who manages to `fly` as he boxes.
The non-living, junkyard robot Atom becomes a metaphor for the liveliest
emotions we know: love, courage and a never-say-die spirit. That it takes an
inanimate object to arouse human feelings in Charlie, is a commentary on our
life and times and our obsession for everything external. His wins as an
abandoned thing thus become the victories of what is truly important in life,
but which we have relegated into the junkyards of our lives. These emotions are
indeed the atoms of our very existence.
The film will remind you of Rocky. Surprisingly, the ending too is
similar. The film gives a beautiful message - You don`t have to win to prove a
point. The real victory in life is in doing something with passion, standing
tall with courage and the ability to never give up despite the odds.
There`s tenderness in the father-son relationship, despite its cliches, that
will tug at your heart. The chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo - the
actors essaying the roles, only adds to it.
The special effects are gentle and subtle enough, not as jarring as in
Transformers. That is, primarily because the driving force in the
film is the story, not the robots. Nevertheless, those who like huge metal
objects fighting or like watching boxing and wrestling, will love the film.
It is thus surprising that Steven Spielberg, who is also the producer of the
Transformers series, also produces this. For Indian cine lovers
there`s another reason to watch Real Steel -- it has been
co-produced by home ground company Reliance Entertainment.
