Real Steel

Airheaded nonsense. To duck when Alex battles Atom, to tremble when Evangeline Lilly smiles, and to cheer for the most likable guy in Hollywood face-to-face as you watch Hugh Jackman's expressions during the final bloody duel. Bravery for all those who are not afraid to look into the eyes of their younger self. (07.01.2014)

One of the most enjoyable mainstream Hollywood movies of the year. Though it’s packed with clichés about family values, it’s not annoying. The film skilfully blends elements of the ’80s with modern trends and it’s obvious that the filmmakers love their story and characters and care about the result. And that’s something rare in the Hollywood mainstream (Rise of the Planet of the Apes was also surprising in the same way this year, and to an even greater extent). Shawn Levy has finally shown himself to be a very good, enthusiastic director who only needs a high-quality screenplay (Real Steel touches the heart more than Spielberg’s Tintin). The precisely written characters devotedly played by Hugh Jackman and young Dakota Goyo make the film personal and sincere. The emotions between them are enhanced by the brisk energy of the great robot boxing matches, which know exactly where to add and where to take away. Real Steel made me happy and filled me with positive energy. (06.11.2011)

A punch aimed at the masses. Uncle Spielberg didn’t use the robot idea just in Transformers, but added this job on the side inspired by Matheson’s short story. Hugh Jackman is really cool, Dakota Goyo excellent (mustn’t laugh at the name) and I was pleasantly surprised by Evangeline Lilly who is awesome in this picture and has no problem in tossing that whiney Kate from Lost over her head. The story is a classic story of self-searching, strengthening family bonds and fighting enormous robots in the ring. The tricks are really effective during the fighting, with the right stuff of boxing at heart (especially in the finale). Levy’s can direct when he has a decent screenplay in his hand. A movie that charges you with positive energy. (03.01.2012)

Transformers has a lot of money for breathtaking effects, but Real Steel has heart, which is the most important thing. Straightforward family entertainment with a straightforward script and an annoying wise geezer in the main role. But everything is so nice, and even the annoying wise geezer ends up begin likeable, that it was a lot of fun to watch. In a nutshell, a pleasant surprise, though the robot fights could have been shot with more dynamism and tension, they felt too much like a routine. Overall, though, nice pop-corn fun. (06.01.2012)

An ordinary film, I can't think of a better descriptor. The visuals are nice, like Transformers – it can't get much better. Hugh Jackman is a likeable dad and the chemistry between him and Evangeline Lilly is very good. The child in the main role is excellent, too. Otherwise, it's a pile of clichés about how a father dad becomes a good dad, how a loser and troublemaker becomes a proper man, and how the last chance usually works out. If you're expecting real emotions in the ring, better watch Warrior or a ton of other films with less family and more social focus dealing with racial issues or criticizing “humanity”. If you want a farce like Cinderella Man, that's more or less what Real Steel is, just this one is rated PG13 – money is also made from children. I don't want to say it’s a complete piece of crap, but there's definitely no deeper thought or anything that would make me want to see it again or remember it. (04.02.2012)