Steel (1997)

A scientist for the military turns himself into a cartoon-like superhero when a version of one of his own weapons is being used against enemies.

Director:

Kenneth Johnson

Writers:

Louise Simonson (comic book series), Jon Bogdanove (comic book series)

Stars:

Shaquille O'Neal, Annabeth Gish, Judd Nelson

Bottom Rated Movies #40 | 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shaquille O'Neal	...	John Henry Irons / Steel
Annabeth Gish	...	Susan Sparks
Judd Nelson	...	Nathaniel Burke
Richard Roundtree	...	Uncle Joe
Irma P. Hall	...	Grandma Odessa
Ray J	...	Martin (as Ray J.)
Harvey Silver	...	Lamont
Charles Napier	...	Col. David
Kerrie Keane	...	Sen. Nolan
Eric Pierpoint	...	Major
Tembi Locke	...	Norma
Thom Barry	...	Sgt. Marcus
Gary Graham	...	Detective
Eric Saiet	...	Young Cop
Hill Harper	...	Slats

Storyline

John Henry Irons designs weapons for the military. When his project to create weapons that harmlessly neutralize soldiers is sabotaged, he leaves in disgust. When he sees gangs are using his weapons on the street, he uses his brains and his Uncle Joe's junkyard know-how to fight back, becoming a real man of "steel."

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Plot Keywords:

junkyard | female soldier | terrorist | explosion | reference to shaft | 

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Taglines:

Heroes don't come any bigger.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some superhero action violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kenneth Johnson had turned down offers to appear in The Bionic Woman (1976), Alien Nation (1989), and The Incredible Hulk (1977). Joel Simon described Steel as "a knight in shining armor in a contemporary setting". Johnson removed Steel's cape from his costume for that reason.

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Goofs

Steel's armor is supposed to be made from steel, which he forged himself. Throughout the film, his armor and helmet flex as if they were made of painted rubber.

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Quotes

John Henry Irons: [about her being crippled] I can imagine how you feel.
Susan Sparks: No. No you can't.
John Henry Irons: You're right. I can't

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Connections

Referenced in The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? (2015)

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Soundtracks

No More Fighting
Written by Antonina Armato and Warryn Campbell (as Warren Campbell)
Produced by Jon-John Robinson (as Jon-John)
Performed by Tevin Campbell
Courtesy of Qwest Records

User Reviews

so bad it's good

This is a B-movie classic. The special effects are awful and the acting is worse, but at least it's not boring. As a cinematic experience, it's below par, but as entertainment it's top notch. It's basically like a B-movie, unintentionally hysterical version of Superman (which makes sense, since apparently Steel is based on a DC comic series which was an offshoot of the Superman Funeral for a friend storyline) , except Steel's only discernible superpowers are: being tall, having a metal suit that makes him walk slowly, and uttering unfunny catch phrases that are so bad you have to bust out laughing. This movie is probably the funniest thing I've seen all year. Of course, it's not intended to be funny most of the time when it is.

Watching Shaq "act" is the highlight of the film. I fell out of my chair laughing every time he said something. Shaq's still a better actor than Hulk Hogan though, not that that's saying much. They should give Shaq more movies. Hulk Hogan made a dozen or more, and they were all awful, why not Shaq?

The special effects look like they were made in the 1980s. Bad miniatures and Superman-esque laser effects look pretty silly in this day and age. This adds to the fun factor of the movie though since you'll probably scream "Dear Lord that laser is the same miniature they used in Godzilla in the 60s!".

The plot to the movie isn't horrible, even though it's pretty thin. Basically Steel is a superhero with a secret identity out to save the world from an evil supervillain. Pretty standard superhero fare.

This movie has earned its place in my heart alongside other bad movie classics like "cool as ice" starring vanilla ice. A must-see for bad movie buffs. Some folks who like superhero films might like it too since it's mildly diverting and quick-paced. Those who relish quality cinematic experiences should avoid.

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Steel

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$870,068, 17 August 1997

Gross USA:

$1,710,972

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,710,972

Company Credits

Production Co:

DC Entertainment, Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1