real steel

this one is pretty predictable but still fun to watch.  in a world where robots do the boxing now, hugh jackman is cast as the down and out former boxer who, due to a good run of bad luck, is stuck at the controls of a low end robot boxer.  the story follows as he must take care of the son he never wanted, and try to get back to the top of the robot boxing game.  you know exactly where the movie is going, we've seen it all before, all but analog, in almost every sports movie ever made.  they do just enough to take the old tropes and keep them fun to watch.  and those robots are pretty cool!  one huge flaw with the film: that kid!  every time that child actor is on screen i would get annoyed- his voice is grating, the character is a self entitled pompous kid who seems to magically know how to program and rebuild these robots even though he's never seen one in person before, and has every annoying kid quality that these films always seem to give so that the young audience can relate to them.  thankfully hugh jackman's charisma covers a multitude of sins!  with almost anyone else in the lead, the predictability and annoying child would have suck this one immediately, but jackman is able to keep it afloat and even fun!