Set in the near future, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman (X-Men, The Prestige) as Charlie Kenton, a washed up boxer trying to find his way back into the spotlight through the world of robot boxing. While trying to get both his career and his personal life back on track, Kenton must also fight for the respect of his son Max, played by Dakota Goyo (Thor).

At the start of the film, Kenton has lost custody of his son, fallen out of fame, and built up a big debt through multiple bad bets and investments. In order to improve his situation and make some money, he begins to enter into robotic boxing matches.

As the plots moves on, Kenton stumbles upon an old training robot named Atom and seems to see a piece of himself in it. For Kenton, this helps highlight the people in his life that matter to him and help him be a better person, and Atom soon brings Charlie and Max together, turning their relationship into one that the audience genuinely cares about.

Hugh Jackman once again does an excellent job of portraying his tough-guy persona, but takes a slightly different route as he shows a more caring side that hasn’t typically been seen in his previous works. This performance may not be considered his best, but he certainly does not fall flat, prompting the audience to really feel for his character’s conflicts and struggles.

The special effects are used successfully as well, as the robots appear as real as the humans standing next to them. Likewise, the artful use of sound effects and score draw the audience into both the warm and pulse-pounding moments, adding an element of depth that continues to engage the audience’s emotions.

“Real Steel” has the perfect combination of energy, excitement, and charm to make it a success. Its elements blend together into a story that is fun and heart-warming, and although the basic storyline has been used before, several pleasant and unexpected twists keep the audience rooting for the Charlie and Atom until the end.