Real Steel (2011)

September 28, 2011 (US) • Action, Science Fiction, Drama • 127m

Overview

Charlie Kenton is a washed-up fighter who retired from the ring when robots took over the sport. After his robot is trashed, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son to rebuild and train an unlikely contender.

Director

Shawn Levy

Writers

Dan Gilroy, Jeremy Leven, John Gatins

Top Billed

Hugh Jackman

Keywords

future sports parent child relationship fight robot prizefight father son reunion robot fighting boxing 2020s

Where to watch

Rent

Buy

Top Billed Cast

Hugh Jackman

Charlie Kenton

Dakota Goyo

Max Kenton

Evangeline Lilly

Bailey Tallet

Kevin Durand

Ricky

Anthony Mackie

Finn

Hope Davis

Aunt Debra

James Rebhorn

Marvin

Karl Yune

Tak Mashido

Sophie Levy

Big Sister

Tess Levy

Little Sister

Olga Fonda

Farra Lemkova

John Gatins

Kingpin

Gregory Sims

Bill Panner

Torey Adkins

Large Texan Man

Phil LaMarr

ESPN Boxing Commentator

John Hawkinson

San Leandro Gentleman #2

David Alan Basche

ESPN Boxing Commentator

Julian Gant

Starblaze Arena Reporter

Ken Alter

Virgin America Spectrum Ring Announcer

Leilani Barrett

Virgin America Spectrum Ref

D.B. Dickerson

Twin Cities Controller

Peter Carey

Bing Arena Announcer

Dan Lemieux

Bing Arena Ref

Richard Goteri

Older Gentleman

Tim Holmes

Blacktop Controller

Ricky Wayne

Underground Promoter

Taris Tyler

Robot Promoter

Kevin Dorman

Atom Performance Capture

John Manfredi

Sergei Lemkova

Mike Ancrile

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Leah Barkoff

Upscale Fight Fan (uncredited)

Joshua Ray Bell

Rodeo Cowboy (uncredited)

Clark Birchmeier

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Ben Hernandez Bray

Ricky's Henchman (uncredited)

Wayne E. Brown

Upscale Boxing Fan (uncredited)

Justin Calkins

Rodeo Cowboy (uncredited)

Ron Causey

Kingpin's Henchman (uncredited)

Jahnel Curfman

Panoramic Fight Fan (uncredited)

Johnny Flynn

ESPN Commentator (uncredited)

Logan Fry

Rabid Fight Fan (uncredited)

Megan Grant

Vendor (uncredited)

J.J. Green

Crash Palace Fan (uncredited)

Shane Hagedorn

Photographer (uncredited)

Kef Lee

Zeus Robot Handler #1 (uncredited)

Brad Leo Lyon

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Mary Magyari

Usher (uncredited)

Megan Mockensturm

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Kirstie Munoz

Vendor (uncredited)

Anton Narinskiy

Farra's Body Guard (uncredited)

Chris Newman

Starblaze Security Guard (uncredited)

Wendy Paquette

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Alan D. Purwin

Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)

Miguel Sandoval

Judge (uncredited)

Dwight Sora

Japanese Reporter #2 (uncredited)

Jojuan Westmoreland

Zoo Fight Fan (uncredited)

Amanda Bright

Ricky's Girl (uncredited)

Gary T. Jones

Rich Man (uncredited)

Rima Fakih

Self (uncredited)

Crew

Susan Montford

Producer

Dan Gilroy

Story

Danny Elfman

Original Music Composer

Richard Hicks

Casting

Steve Starkey

Executive Producer

Shawn Levy

Director

Jeremy Leven

Story

Jack Rapke

Executive Producer

David Rubin

Casting

Dean Zimmerman

Editor

John Gatins

Screenplay

Shawn Levy

Producer

Steven Spielberg

Executive Producer

Don Murphy

Producer

Tom Meyer

Production Design

Josh McLaglen

Executive Producer

Mary McLaglen

Executive Producer

Robert Zemeckis

Executive Producer

Kevin McTurk

Visual Effects

Kevin McTurk

Special Effects Technician

Michael Anthony Jackson

Storyboard Artist

Gary Archer

Prosthetics

Marlene Stewart

Costume Design

Ann Masterson

Makeup Department Head

Garrett Warren

Stunt Coordinator

Mauro Fiore

Director of Photography

Erik Baker

Animation

Damion Poitier

Utility Stunts

Zachary Woodlee

Choreographer

Eminem

Songs

Rick Benattar

Co-Producer

Ron Ames

Associate Producer

Eric Hedayat

Co-Producer

Nina Paskowitz

Hair Department Head

Bill Abbott

Music Editor

Jennifer Hawks

Music Supervisor

Craig Henighan

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Warren Hendriks

Sound Designer

Anthony Seyler

Music Supervisor

Craig Henighan

Sound Designer

Victor J. Zolfo

Set Decoration

Craig Henighan

Supervising Sound Editor

Terry Wilson

Music Editor

Wayne Lemmer

Sound Designer

Seth Reed

Supervising Art Director

Steve Cantamessa

Sound Mixer

Paul Massey

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Diane Durant

Script Supervisor

Melissa Moseley

Still Photographer

Richard Matheson

Short Story

Danny Gordon Taylor

Animation Supervisor

Erik Nash

Visual Effects Supervisor

Swen Gillberg

Digital Effects Supervisor

John Rosengrant

Animatronics Supervisor

Daren Dochterman

Concept Artist

Jim Warren

Set Decoration Buyer

Jack McQuisten

Hairstylist

Bobby Mara

Construction Coordinator

Rick Radomski

Art Department Assistant

John Villarino

Construction Coordinator

Scott Schutzki

Set Dresser

Pamela S. Westmore

Makeup Artist

Rishi Moudgil

Art Department Assistant

Jeremy Thompson

Assistant Property Master

Mike Mahern

Graphic Designer

Tom Sparkman

Painter

Kimberly Jones

Makeup Artist

Jourdan Henderson

Art Department Coordinator

Chris Frankovich

Propmaker

Joe Dunckley

Props

Justin N. Lang

Set Dresser

Lauren Kress

Hairstylist

Satcha Congdon

Construction Foreman

John Millard

Leadman

Robert Woodruff

Set Designer

Eleyna M. Brandt

Makeup Artist

David Stasiak

Propmaker

Jennifer Bash

Art Department Assistant

Anthony Darin

Carpenter

Tim Croshaw

Set Designer

Tex Kadonaga

Set Designer

Mark Sejnowski

Set Dresser

Carl F. Shuffett

Set Dresser

Elizabeth Cortez

Hairstylist

Robert M. Gualdoni

Propmaker

Theodore Sharps

Set Designer

Derek Dubyak

Set Dresser

Stephanie Arble

Hairstylist

Clifton Chippewa

Hairstylist

Wilson Wilkes

Painter

Meshelle Melone

Assistant Hairstylist

Andrea Carter

Art Department Coordinator

David Brayman

Propmaker

Bobby Rhodes

Set Dresser

Jeannette Moriarty

Hairstylist

Natalie Driscoll

Key Hair Stylist

Tim Flattery

Concept Artist

Leslie A. Tokunaga

Construction Buyer

David Moreau

Set Designer

Anne Porter

Set Designer

Bradley Rubin

Assistant Art Director

Victor James Martinez

Concept Artist

Miles Teves

Concept Artist

Joseph F. Beeco

Construction Foreman

Mike Stassi

Set Designer

Jamie Bishop

Set Dresser

Joel Venti

Storyboard Artist

Toni Price

Assistant Makeup Artist

Douglas Womack

Construction Coordinator

Steven Melton

Property Master

Jayne Laube

Makeup Artist

Ceri Glowacki

Art Department Production Assistant

Megan Greydanus

Graphic Designer

Erin Wooldridge

Key Makeup Artist

Andrew H. Leung

Conceptual Illustrator

Peter Sikkelee

Painter

Tim Stadler

Painter

Trevor Goring

Storyboard Artist

Diego Mariscal

Dolly Grip

Salim Bensrhir

Electrician

Mia Cusumano

Casting Assistant

Ryan Carnahan

Grip

Donald Jones

Grip

Tracy Dixon

Extras Casting

Nicholas Kaat

Electrician

Dennis Hoerter

Key Grip

Matt Kubas

Lighting Technician

Jaime Dawkins

Techno Crane Operator

Naomi Villanueva-Brunner

Second Assistant "A" Camera

Chris McLeod

Additional Lighting Technician

Maurice K. McGuire

Camera Operator

Amy Snell

Grip

Kenny Kondratko

Lighting Technician

Kate Hubbell

Casting Associate

David Emmerichs

Steadicam Operator

Erik F. Hill

Grip

Caitlin McKenna

ADR Voice Casting

Matt Fore

Camera Operator

Dan Mikulski

Lighting Technician

John Beran

Rigging Grip

Troy N. Wade

Dolly Grip

Derek Reynolds

Electrician

Christos Moisides

Camera Operator

Jamie Lagerhausen

Key Grip

Tiffany Burns

Rigging Grip

Larry Nielsen

First Assistant "A" Camera

Marvin J. Bowie

Grip

Sean T. Kelly

Grip

Neal Wilde

Grip

David B. Nowell

Aerial Director of Photography

Jarek Gorczycki

Best Boy Electric

Bill Coe

First Assistant "B" Camera

John Janusek

Key Grip

Bobby McMahan

Second Assistant Camera

Olivia Thomas

Casting Assistant

Ryan Nelson

Grip

Carrie Ray

Casting

John P. Shine

Best Boy Grip

Chris Culliton

Gaffer

Matthew Bramante

Compositor

Michael Melchiorre

Compositing Supervisor

Erik Gamache

Animation Supervisor

Paul George Palop

CG Supervisor

Gresham Lochner

Compositor

Ned Wilson

Compositor

Casey Schatz

Pre-Visualization Supervisor

Lily Shapiro

Visual Effects Coordinator

Randy Brown

Digital Compositor

Steven Fagerquist

Digital Compositor

Clancy Silver

Digital Compositor

Francis Puthanangadi

Digital Compositor

William R. Wright

Senior Animator

Justin Shaw

Visual Effects Assistant Editor

Leon Nowlin

Compositor

Young Joon Mok

Digital Compositor

Ryan T. Smolarek

Digital Compositor

Emi Baba

Digital Compositor

Wing Kwok

Digital Compositor

Wally Chin

Digital Compositor

Will Johnson

Digital Compositor

Patrick Keenan

Digital Compositor

Aaron Singer

Digital Compositor

David Sanger

Visual Effects Producer

Kyle Collins

Visual Effects Production Assistant

John Brennick

Compositor

Teddy Phu-Thanh-Danh

Visual Effects Production Assistant

Krista Benson

Compositor

Bob Roesler

Compositor

Michael Miller

Digital Compositor

Marie Victoria Denoga

Digital Compositor

Hirofumi Takeda

Digital Compositor

Yuka Hosomi

Digital Compositor

Brett Hartley

Visual Effects Production Assistant

Brian Smallwood

Digital Compositor

John Niehuss

Visual Effects

Molly Pabian

Visual Effects Coordinator

Angella Szynkowski

Visual Effects

Jody Wilson

Visual Effects

Patrick Ballin

Visual Effects Assistant Editor

Matthew Gratzner

Visual Effects Supervisor

Michael Maloney

Compositing Supervisor

Kellany Stewart

Digital Compositor

Jeffrey Jasper

Digital Effects Supervisor

Phaneendra Gullapalli

Visual Effects

Brandon F. Ottenbacher

Visual Effects

Matthew Collorafice

Digital Compositor

Wesley Cronk

Digital Compositor

Luke Hippely

Visual Effects Coordinator

Steve Miller

Visual Effects Editor

Bruce Nicholson

Digital Compositor

Kym Olsen

Digital Compositor

Charlyn Go

Visual Effects Coordinator

Greg Zimmerman

ADR Recordist

Tony Ferdinand

Post Production Assistant

Nicholas Kim

Digital Compositor

Daniel Thron

Matte Painter

Sally Slade

Visual Effects

Ron Ames

Visual Effects Producer

Monet Sheree Funke

Visual Effects Production Assistant

Olaf Wendt

Visual Effects Supervisor

Carlos Morales

Digital Compositor

Krystina Shales Wilson

Visual Effects

Kirstin Hall

Digital Compositor

Gillian George

Matte Painter

Daniel Brimer

Visual Effects Producer

Hayley Perkins

Visual Effects Production Assistant

Katryna Shattuck

Visual Effects Production Assistant

Bruce Tanis

Foley Editor

Kevin Lingenfelser

Digital Compositor

Daniel Buck

Visual Effects

Sean Cushing

Visual Effects Producer

Skip Kimball

Digital Intermediate Colorist

Ray Haleblian

Visual Effects Technical Director

Blake Collins

Foley Mixer

Edward T. Reiff Jr.

Special Effects Technician

Steven Munson

Special Effects Technician

Michael Rivera

ADR Recordist

Chris Goodson

Post Production Assistant

Russ Fitzpatrick

ADR Mixer

Argie M. Floyd

Special Effects Assistant

Gary Thomas

Boom Operator

James Ashwill

Foley Mixer

Marisa Clayton

Digital Intermediate Producer

Adriaan van Zyl

First Assistant Editor

Thomas J. O'Connell

ADR Mixer

John Guentner

Foley Mixer

Skip Longfellow

First Assistant Sound Editor

Garth Steinheimer

Special Effects Technician

John T. Cucci

Foley Artist

Jim Passon

Color Timer

Samuel Lemberg

Post Production Assistant

Helen Luttrell

Dialogue Editor

K.C. Bartos

Special Effects Assistant

David Nicholson

Special Effects Assistant

Susan Dawes

Dialogue Editor

Kerry Dean Williams

Supervising ADR Editor

Steve Buttermore

Special Effects Assistant

Joe Digaetano

Special Effects Coordinator

Ron Bedrosian

ADR Mixer

Erin Michael Rettig

Sound Engineer

Joe Aliberto

Colorist

David Revel

Special Effects Assistant

Greg Steele

ADR Mixer

David Lucarelli

ADR Recordist

Scott La Rue

Boom Operator

David Betancourt

ADR Mixer

Charleen Richards-Steeves

ADR Mixer

Dan O'Connell

Foley Artist

David Kramer

Extras Casting

Josh McLaglen

First Assistant Director

Poe

Music

Marie Fink

Stunts

Kelli Barksdale

Stunt Double

Sara Holden

Stunts

Ben Hernandez Bray

Stunts

Anne Fletcher

Choreographer

Reviews

John Chard

⭐ 7/10

August 1, 2019

No splitting this Atom, it has got a rock solid heart.

Real Steel is directed by Shawn Levy and collectively adapted to the screen by John Gatins, Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven from a Richard Matheson short story called Steel. It stars Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis and James Rebhorn. Music is scored by Danny Elfman and cinematography by Mauro Fiore.

Set in the near future, robot boxing is a big crowd pulling sport. After a struggling robot operator is introduced to an 11-year-old son he has never known, they stumble upon a discarded robot at a junk yard....

We can all moan about the mimicry of an idea and the clichés that dominate Real Steel, but you really got to hand it to the makers for what they have achieved. They have crafted a family film that's very much perfect in this day and age. The story is one that any adult Sylvester Stallone fan can acknowledge and appreciate, the human heartbeat pleasingly steady, while the premise of big colourful robots beating the crap out of each other delights youngsters and us adults who are still young at heart. Film pretty much does what any other film of this type does, lays on the syrup in the last quarter where second chances and family strife come thundering through the plotting. Undeniably it's hugely derivative, events are joystick operated to get an emotional response from a family audience, while product placement reins and the script often sags under the weight of unoriginality. But it does uplift the spirit and getting to the end is easy since it's so much berserker fun. Yes it's the robot Atom, the people's champion, yes it's David vS Goliath and yes! It's Balboa vS Creed. Nothing wrong with that really.

The cast don't really have to offer up much beyond being adequate within the context of the material, though a muscular Jackman finds good paternal chemistry with young Goyo. In fact Goyo is pleasingly not annoying, always a bonus is that. Inevitably the robots are the stars, they're a triumph of design and visual effects and a sight for sore eyes, while Levy has a good handle on staging the fight sequences - even when cribbing from Balboa. The near future look is terrific as well, with Fiore's colour photography very appealing. Coining in over $290 million at the worldwide box office (over £180 million in profit), Real Steel found the family audience it was looking for, proving once again that there is a market for simple and effective popcorn carnage. It's not high art or intelligently scripted, but was anyone seriously thinking that was going to be the case here? If you want brains with this premise then seek out Twilight Zone episode "Steel", starring the excellent Lee Marvin, otherwise just sit back and enjoy the ride and let the botty bots and human interest raise the pulse and gladden the heart respectively. 7/10

Home format release is a sparkling print, extras are annoyingly short but the blooper reel is fun, we get a stunt deconstruction, and we learn about the influence a certain Mr. Spielberg had on the production.

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Gimly

⭐ 3/10

May 19, 2020

I wonder if this was originally written to be a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots movie, but when they couldn't get the rights they just decided to make it anyway. In either case, it's not very good. Amazing that you could take a movie about anthropomorphic **robots** and manage to still make it into a cliche sports film.

_Final rating:★½: - Boring/disappointing. Avoid where possible._