Real Steel

Discuss movies (including free films)
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Knight N
The Third Man
The Third Man
Posts: 148
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 2:55 pm
Old post count: 0
Preferred Cinemas: Any Central London, Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road or any other Greater London cinema
Location: London

Real Steel

#1 Post by Knight N » Sun Aug 14, 2011 4:37 pm

Trailer Link:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=77385


Plot Summary:

A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech, "Real Steel" stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

User avatar
Knight N
The Third Man
The Third Man
Posts: 148
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 2:55 pm
Old post count: 0
Preferred Cinemas: Any Central London, Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road or any other Greater London cinema
Location: London

Re: Real Steel

#2 Post by Knight N » Sun Aug 14, 2011 5:12 pm

I thought I would start a film discussion page for 'Real Steel', having seen footage from the film at yesterday's Empire Big Screen and also the Q&A with the movie's director, Shawn Levy.

The first thing I would say about Shawn Levy was the that he seemed like a thoroughly 'nice bloke' who appeared very passionate about his art and particularly this movie but was also humble enough to stop and chat with fans and sign autographs afterwards despite being a hollywood director.

Okay this might not be the right place to put up a post about what I saw at the Empire Big Screen but I was so impressed by Shawn Levy that hopefully others will want to go and see this movie after reading this. After all which director comes to to an event like this and lets the fans win tickets to the UK premiere and the opportunity to meet Hugh Jackman!

Getting back to the presentation, apart from a funny discussion between the director and the host at the start and the opportunity to win premiere tickets this was again just extended clips from the movie as well as some behind the scenes footage (which will obviously make it on to the DVD as an extra).

The one thing that sold this movie to me was that Shawn Levy tried to stress from the outset that although this was an 'under dog' film much like other boxing dramas at the heart of it the film was about redemption.

He also made the point that Hugh Jackman was not initially interested in starring in a film about robots because he felt that the actor(s) in such films usally played 'second-fiddle' to the machines. e.g. Transformers. However, after reading the script he was pleasantly surprised that it focused on all three principal characters - the former boxer trying to suceed in a sport where humans have been replaced by robots; the boy who was left behind by his father and is trying to develop a relationship with a man he hardly knows and the robot who was left for scrap and is given a second chance.

Putting aside the story for a minute though, the special effects look amazing. Clearly much is computer generated but Shawn Levy also explained that they built four, full-size, animatronic robots which they filmed for much of this movie in order to get the right look.

Watching the robots slugging it out in a ring was certainly not disappointing either. There is something quite raw about the fights given it is a boxing match but without the human limitation of real boxers, so here you see robot limbs destroyed and yet they continue fighting until they are reduced to a crumpled heap of metal. Sadistic maybe, but strangely satisfying.

The movie is not released in the UK until Friday 14 October 2011, but with the UK premiere a month before that on 15 September 2011 there is likely to be a lot of talk about this movie in the coming weeks and hopefully preview showings too before the eventual release date.


N

BigSal51

Re: Real Steel

#3 Post by BigSal51 » Wed Aug 17, 2011 3:14 pm

Looks like this topic's been up for a while without a response so I thought I'd add my thoughts! I actually think this movie looks really cool. Sure the premise is a little goofy; its basically rockem sockem robots. But I like the fact that it emphasises the characters and not just the robot on robot action, at least judging from what I saw on the trailer and from what you've said. Plus there seems to be a nice sci-fi angle to it, having the robots be a more entertaining, reliable replacement for human boxers and then exploring how that impacts someone who used to be a boxer themselves. Pretty interesting stuff. On top of that of course, I just like watching machines lay into each other, the one genuinely awesome thing that can be said of the transformers movies; robots fighting can look amazing!

Its cool that you were able to meet the director and actor, sounds like the film's shaping up well. The only thing that I'm worried about is that Shawn Levy hasn't done that many great films in the past; wasn't a massive fan of Night at the Museum, plus haven't heard very good things about Cheaper by the Dozen or the Pink Panther remake. He seems more comfortable with comedy rather than sci-fi drama like this. I hope he proves me wrong, because this movie does look good. If they can nail the emotional, human side of the movie, that'll make the robotic carnage seem that much more intense. Don't do what the transformers films did and fill the movie up with pointless slapstick filler and uninteresting character arcs that make everything but the robot scenes a chore to sit through.

MIJ

User avatar
Knight N
The Third Man
The Third Man
Posts: 148
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 2:55 pm
Old post count: 0
Preferred Cinemas: Any Central London, Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road or any other Greater London cinema
Location: London

Re: Real Steel

#4 Post by Knight N » Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:22 am

Great to hear your comments BigSal51 / MIJ

Let's definitely hope that Real Steel is better than some of Mr Levy's other 'howlers'.

Anyone remember The Pink Panther starring Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau!

... or are people still trying to forget - LOL :D



N

BigSal51

Re: Real Steel

#5 Post by BigSal51 » Fri Aug 19, 2011 4:47 pm

I've never seen the Steve Martin remake, probably never will to be honest. Nobody can top Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and no one ever will, as much as I like Steve Martin.

I remember one other dramatic movie that was headed by someone who had specialised in "madcap" comedy, and that was Patch Adams, directed by Tom Shadyac who before that had directed Ace Venture: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor and Liar Liar. People seem to be a bit split on Patch Adams. The critics hated it but it was pretty popular. I liked it but can admit that it turns up the sentiment a little too high sometimes, foregoing things like plausiblity and practicality. But overall it seemed like an okay attempt at inspirational drama after doing straight comedy. Granted, Shadyac's filmography is slightly more impressive than Levy's, but nevertheless it shows that these guys can do meaningful, straight work when they put their mind to it.

MIJ

User avatar
a_person
8 1/2
8 1/2
Posts: 8542
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:13 pm
Old post count: 90
Preferred Cinemas: West India Quays,Cineworld Greenwich, Vue Stratford Westfield then Central London.
Location: London

Re: Real Steel

#6 Post by a_person » Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:52 pm

I wonder if there will be any screenings for this. There are currently two comps with preview screenings, one next Friday and the other clashing with Drive. :rolleyes:
Member No. 2 of the "100 free films in 2015" club. 3 seen, 97 to go!
Realistic target: 5

Preferred cinema list:
1) Cineworld: West India Quays or Greenwich, 02, Vue Westfield - Stratford City or Picturehouse Stratford
2) Picturehouse Greenwich
3) Any central London cinema including Islington (excluding Shepherd's Bush, and Whiteleys unless it's some super duper cool film)
4) Odeon Greenwich or Odeon Surrey Quays

superhero
9 1/2 Weeks
9 1/2 Weeks
Posts: 10413
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:49 pm
Old post count: 0
Preferred Cinemas: Vue West End, Odeon Covent Garden, Odeon Panton Street, any other ones in Central London
Location: London

Re: Real Steel

#7 Post by superhero » Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:54 pm

Ok I am confused now, I've been a little busy...which is the comp for next Friday? The only one I've seen is the BT tower one

User avatar
funthing29
8 1/2
8 1/2
Posts: 9753
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:30 pm
Old post count: 0
Preferred Cinemas: Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road, Hampstead, Belsize Park, West End, Islington, Holloway, Whiteleys, Shepherd's Bush, North Finchley, Hackney, Stratford, 02 + (last resort) Watford & Hatfield
Location: London

Re: Real Steel

#8 Post by funthing29 » Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:57 pm

I think I posted one of the comps in the wrong thread. I assumed it was a premiere comp but I think the prize is tickets for a screening on a different date. :oops:
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olson - Chairman of Digital Equipment Corporation, speaking in 1977

Member No. 29 of the "100 free films in 2016" club: 62 seen; 38 to go (40 theatre/shows seen)

70 free films seen in 2015 + 85 theatre/shows
84 free films seen in 2014 (81 different films, 3 repeat viewings) + 119 theatre/shows
126 free films seen in 2013 (121 different films, 5 repeat viewings
121 free films seen in 2012 (115 different films, 6 repeat viewings)
129 free films seen in 2011 (117 different films, 12 repeat viewings)

User avatar
a_person
8 1/2
8 1/2
Posts: 8542
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:13 pm
Old post count: 90
Preferred Cinemas: West India Quays,Cineworld Greenwich, Vue Stratford Westfield then Central London.
Location: London

Re: Real Steel

#9 Post by a_person » Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:59 pm

You did? :oops: Goes to show I never read them but that's only because you always post in the right place. If you show me where or what it is then I'll merge it to the correct one.
Member No. 2 of the "100 free films in 2015" club. 3 seen, 97 to go!
Realistic target: 5

Preferred cinema list:
1) Cineworld: West India Quays or Greenwich, 02, Vue Westfield - Stratford City or Picturehouse Stratford
2) Picturehouse Greenwich
3) Any central London cinema including Islington (excluding Shepherd's Bush, and Whiteleys unless it's some super duper cool film)
4) Odeon Greenwich or Odeon Surrey Quays

User avatar
a_person
8 1/2
8 1/2
Posts: 8542
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:13 pm
Old post count: 90
Preferred Cinemas: West India Quays,Cineworld Greenwich, Vue Stratford Westfield then Central London.
Location: London

Re: Real Steel

#10 Post by a_person » Sat Sep 10, 2011 7:00 pm

superhero wrote:Ok I am confused now, I've been a little busy...which is the comp for next Friday? The only one I've seen is the BT tower one
http://www.fmuk.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13381

16th is next Friday right? :shifty: All I know is I'm away at a work conference 16-18th and I'm pretty sure my conference fell on a Friday which is why I didn't bother entering...
Last edited by a_person on Sat Sep 10, 2011 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Member No. 2 of the "100 free films in 2015" club. 3 seen, 97 to go!
Realistic target: 5

Preferred cinema list:
1) Cineworld: West India Quays or Greenwich, 02, Vue Westfield - Stratford City or Picturehouse Stratford
2) Picturehouse Greenwich
3) Any central London cinema including Islington (excluding Shepherd's Bush, and Whiteleys unless it's some super duper cool film)
4) Odeon Greenwich or Odeon Surrey Quays

Post Reply