adminDirector: Shawn Levy
Cinema: Eastgate
Type of film: Action/adventure
Running time: 120 minutes
Age restriction: 16
When there are no other clues, know that you’re in for a wild ride when an actor who is too young to be allowed to see the film plays the leading part.
And with Steven Spielberg as its producer, based on an award-winning novel by Richard Matheson, this is a film which will keep your attention fixed, unblinking, for its two-hour duration.
It is not inconsequential that it takes place in Texas. That the filmmakers chose to set it there with 49 other states to choose from is a clear indication that they are sending a message: “Hold on to your hats; anything goes.”
Now 43 years of age, Hugh Jackson came to Hollywood from Sydney, Australia, more than 20 years ago and has acquired film credits that range from the good to downright awful.
And on one occasion chewed out for his obviously poor physical condition.
But if to be forgiven is a state of affairs we can all aspire to, Jackman, in this film, gets a full 10 out of 10.
In superb physical condition, sporting the body of the champion boxer he once aspired to be, we find him, in this film, engaged in an exhibition/activity that I did not know even existed.
With a huge truck he goes around Texas, to one of its fairs after another, with a nine foot, all steel robot, which, computer generated, battles an equal no holds barred before bloodthirsty, highly enthusiastic Texans.
In the midst of a losing streak, and deeply in debt to gangster money lenders, it is not a good time to have his last seen a long time ago wife dies, leaving him with the 11-year-old son, Max, he only barely knew
existed.
But Max surely does exist, and the audience sees him sweep up his father and the rest of the film with the finest performance by a child actor I have seen in years. Together, father and son move on in their life
together each stimulating, supporting and goading the other which, on two occasions actually elicited tears from this hard-bitten and hard to move cinema goer.
Better than any medicine or any other film seen in years if you are in a state of depression I am writing out for you a prescription: Run don’t walk to Eastgate and take your medicine: The film Real Steel.
Online Reporter