Real Steel {Movie Review}

Real Steel

FUN FACTS

• “Real Steel” is set in the near future, where robots have replaced boxers in the ring, and is directed by Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum,” “Date Night”).
• “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Prestige”) as Charlie Kenton, a financially strapped, risk-taking former boxer who now makes his living on an underworld robot boxing circuit, operating the metal pugilists that made his human profession obsolete.
• The robots each have a distinctive look, personality and color scheme and range in size from 7’6” to 8’5” in height. Based on human form, they each have two legs, two arms, a torso and a head—with the exception of a two-headed bot aptly named “Twin Cities.”
• In addition to their distinctive personas, every robot has a specific sound personality. When a robot lands a punch there’s a sound specific to his skeletal material, his mechanisms, his bulk and his mass and there’s also an aura sound so that just merely by being turned on every robot has a whir or a whoosh or an engine hum or the sound or a computer.
• Evangeline Lilly (“Lost”), who plays Bailey, never saw herself making a boxing film, but when she read the heartfelt script she was won over.
• Toronto-native Dakota Goyo was chosen from thousands of 10-year-old boys who auditioned for the role of Max, Hugh Jackman’s on-screen son, as part of an international casting search.
• Filming the robot boxing scenes was done with both motion-capture technology and practical-built, full-scale robots. The motion-capture elements were performed and shot months earlier on a stage in Los Angeles. Fighters were put in the ring wearing data-capturing jumpsuits and as they fought, their motions were converted into robot avatars in the computer and instantaneously appeared on the monitors on set. Then, during principal photography, the filmmakers lined up their cameras on an empty ring and the motion-capture data streamed through their cameras, allowing them to watch and frame the robot fighting in the ring in real time.
• Sugar Ray Leonard was hired by the filmmakers to serve as the film’s boxing consultant and to train Hugh Jackman for his appearance in the ring.
• “Real Steel” costume designer Marlene Stewart created a wardrobe for Hugh Jackman’s character Charlie that was inspired by looks from the 1960s, drawing from rugged Americana styles. Even his sunglasses are retro.
• In “Real Steel” there is a clear delineation between the two worlds of robot boxing. There is the official league (the WRB); it’s corporate sponsored, with big money, sanctioned venues and strict rules. Then there is the underworld, which has unsanctioned venues, with no rules, no restrictions—the robots fight to the death.

What an amazing movie!! I’m not a big fan of boxing nor Robots, but my Tween and Teen really wanted to watch the movie, I decided to have a movie night and hang out with the boys and boy am I glad I did. This movie runs for 127 minutes and I did not miss a second of it. The action packed movie is full of excitement, bonding and yes, Tears! it was exciting to see how the robots moved around, fought and how a Father and Son relationship developed to a moving and bonding level. There wasn’t a dull moment in this movie at all. From sitting on the edge while Dad, who is played by Hugh Jackman, is betting all his money and loosing it all in one fight and not knowing what the next scene will bring to exciting and fun dance lesson the son is giving to his Robot. What a wonderful, WONDERFUL movie and a must see for the entire family!! This is a movie that totally deserves 2 thumbs up and will be watched over and over in our home.

The 2 Disc Combo Pack has a DVD and Blu-ray and the 2nd DVD has wonderful Bonus features like:

• Bloopers, that will surely get you rolling on the floor, we had a blast in our home with the Tween and teen; it was a fun bonding time watching the funny Bloopers… LOVED IT!!
• Making of Metal valley, sure is an exciting experience to see how all that was created. It was fascinating to see the “HOW TO”… so cool
• Our family favorite was “Making the Bots”; what a sight to see; this isn’t something you see every day, it was soo cool.
• Audio Commentary with Director Shawn Levy

As you can see, this DVD Combo set is full of action and fun and such a wonderful movie. If you didn’t think this is a movie for you or your family, think again. I didn’t care about this movie until I actually had it in my player and now I’m telling everyone how amazing it was, that’s how much I LOVED IT!! The movie is rated PG13.

For more information or to grab a coupon for $5 OFF the purchase of the Real Steel 3-disc Combo Pack, be sure to go HERE  and click on the offer in the upper right corner of the page. Offer ends 1/29/12.

Where to purchase: You can purchase the REAL STEEL DVD starting January 24th, 2012 through Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com or any of your favorite retailer that sells DVD’s. The DVD retails for $29.99

We received the product for our honest review; all opinions are 100% our own and no other compensation was nor will be received