Real Steel (2011)

Set in the near future, where robot boxing is a top sport, a struggling promoter feels he's found a champion in a discarded robot. During his hopeful rise to the top, he discovers he has an 11-year-old son who wants to know his father.

Director:

Shawn Levy

Writers:

John Gatins (screenplay), Dan Gilroy (story),

Stars:

Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Jackman	...	Charlie Kenton
Dakota Goyo	...	Max Kenton
Evangeline Lilly	...	Bailey Tallet
Anthony Mackie	...	Finn
Kevin Durand	...	Ricky
Hope Davis	...	Aunt Debra
James Rebhorn	...	Marvin
Karl Yune	...	Tak Mashido
Olga Fonda	...	Farra Lemkova
John Gatins	...	Kingpin
Sophie Levy	...	Big Sister
Tess Levy	...	Little Sister
Charlie Levy	...	Littlest Sister
Gregory Sims	...	Bill Panner
Torey Adkins	...	Large Texan Man

Storyline

In the near future when people become uninterested in boxing and similar sports, a new sport is created - Robot boxing wherein robots battle each other while being controlled by someone. Charlie Kenton, a former boxer who's trying to make it in the new sport, not only doesn't do well, he is very deeply in the red. When he learns that his ex, mother of his son Max, dies, he goes to figure out what to do with him. His ex's sister wants to take him in but Charlie has first say in the matter. Charlie asks her husband for money so he can buy a new Robot in exchange for turning Max over to them. He takes Max for the summer. And Max improves his control of his robot. But when the robot is destroyed, they go to a scrap yard to get parts. Max finds an old generation robot named Atom and restores him. Max wants Atom to fight but Charlie tells him he won't last a round. However, Atom wins. And it isn't long before Atom is getting major bouts. Max gets Charlie to teach Atom how to fight, and the ...

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Plot Keywords:

robot | boxing | fight | near future | robot battle | 

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Taglines:

Champions aren't born. They're made.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

DreamWorks [ca] (French) DreamWorks [us]

Country:

USA India

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Real Steel: The IMAX Experience

Filming Locations:

Mason, Michigan, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$110,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$27,319,677 (USA) (7 October 2011)

Gross:

$85,463,309 (USA) (10 February 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Touchstone Pictures, Reliance Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where Atom is about to enter the ring before fighting Zeus, Hugh Jackman (who has made public before his admiration for boxer Manny Pacquiao), was seen carrying a case for Atom's remote control (at 1:40:34 & 1:43:50). On that box was a sticker of the Philippine flag, the country where Pacquiao was born. (Another view of the case is at 1:20:43 just before Atom's fight with Twin Cities.)

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Goofs

Given the fact that Hugh Jackman is left-handed, Atom is seen at times mirroring Charlie rather than mimicking him. In many scenes, especially in the fight between Atom and Zeus, Atom is clearly fighting right-handed while Charlie is shadow boxing left-handed. This is perhaps the reason why Atom is seen to be alternating between mimicking and mirroring even though according to how shadow boxing is explained in the film he should be only mimicking. This is also easily seen, though, when you notice the person running the shadow function either facing Atom or not. The shadow apparently mirrors when the operator is facing him and in mimic when not.

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Quotes

Bailey Tallet: 1200 miles for a kiss.
Charlie Kenton: Worth it. So worth it.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #20.19 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Miss the Misery"
Written by David Grohl (as David Eric Grohl), Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett (as Christopher A. Shiflett) and Pat Smear
Performed by Foo Fighters
Courtesy of Roswell Records/RCA Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

User Reviews

Outstanding

Any movie that gets the audience involved in a positive way and leaving cheering is an excellent movie. It is like Rocky on adrenaline and with a whole lot better acting. Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly and Dakota Goyo all have great performances. Dakota who plays the son really makes the movie, but all the actors performances are great. The guy who thought it boring... well, you lack passion and your soul must be dead. Real Steel is the absolutely hands down best movie I have seen in a long time. You will cheer, cry, laugh and be thoroughly entertained. I had to sit and watched the credits at the end just to catch my breath. Great movie.