Real Steel
An indebted former boxer and his estranged son find a second chance together by turning a discarded robot into a championship contender.
Overview
In a future where boxing has evolved into a sport of robot combat, a father and son find a new bond through their shared passion.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- energetic
- sentimental
- hopeful
- family movie night
- sports movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film well-made and emotionally satisfying, with thrilling robot-boxing action and enough characterization to support its familiar sports formula.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charlie and Max strengthen their father son bond while training and managing Atom for increasingly important robot boxing bouts.
The discarded old-generation robot Atom progresses from scrap-yard discovery to major robot boxing bouts.
The film builds its action around remotely controlled robots competing in boxing matches before large crowds.
Shawn Levy blends Charlie and Max's physical control of Atom with computer-made robot fighters and large-scale bouts.
Films like Real Steel, and why
The Fighter
shared underdog sports structure, father son reconciliation, and emotionally accessible Hollywood spectacle
Pacific Rim
shared futuristic combat spectacle, human machine partnership, and sentimental family drama
Rocky
shared boxing underdog narrative, training arc, and uplifting parent child themes
The Iron Giant
shared sports entertainment premise, child adult bonding, and feel good mechanical action
Movie Details
- Director
- Shawn Levy
- Release Date
- 2011-09-28
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (9590)
Cast
- Hugh Jackman
- Dakota Goyo
- Evangeline Lilly
- Kevin Durand
- Anthony Mackie
- Hope Davis
- James Rebhorn
- Karl Yune
- Sophie Levy
- Tess Levy
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, FXNow
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Real Steel about?
- An indebted former boxer and his estranged son find a second chance together by turning a discarded robot into a championship contender.
- What is Real Steel like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Real Steel as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Real Steel violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Real Steel as moderate.
- What did critics think of Real Steel?
- Critics broadly found the film well-made and emotionally satisfying, with thrilling robot-boxing action and enough characterization to support its familiar sports formula.
- Which films are like Real Steel?
- Films with a similar feel include The Fighter, Pacific Rim, Rocky, and The Iron Giant.
- How long is Real Steel?
- Real Steel runs 127 minutes.
- Where can I watch Real Steel?
- In United States, Real Steel streams on fuboTV, FXNow.
