Wednesday, February 1, 2012

DreamWorks Studios’ REAL STEEL available for Home Entertainment on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital and On-Demand Now



'REAL STEEL' had a theatrical release on October 7th, 2011 and it is now available for purchase in multiple formats.
DreamWorks Studios’ 'REAL STEEL,' starring Hugh Jackman, made its way into the Home Entertainment arena on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital and On-Demand on January 24, 2012.



The action/drama film ‘Real Steel’ is based on the short Story “Steel” by Richard Matheson. John Gatins’ screenplay, based on the story by Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven, can get to the viewer’s heart despite watching robots get in the boxing ring. Give it a break; there really is a good story hiding behind all that steel.


Set in the near-future, boxing is no longer done by humans because it did not satiate the demand for more by the spectators. So, 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. It is a big business, so there is sanctioned fights and the underground ones, but they each have their audiences- depending on how deep their pocketbook is.
Director Shawn Levy (‘Night at the Museum’ franchise and ‘Date Night’) does a good job handling the mix of drama and action. It was well balanced, providing enough action for the boxing fans, yet giving the viewer some close shots of the actor’s face to really capture the emotion. It has small doses of humor that please as well.


Though Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is a washed up fighter, he still has a lot of spunk in him to not walk away from the sport. It has been all he has known throughout his life and Bailey (Evangeline Lilly) who he grew up with in the boxing gym her father owned, has been there to support him. She is at her breaking point though, since he is a small-time promoter with huge debts, especially to her.


At the bottom of his game, he finds out his son Max (Dakota Goyo) he had no contact with (on purpose), has lost his mother. Now the courts want him to be responsible and it is the last thing he wants. The scenes are tough when Charlie is so cold to the 11 year old, but Max is a strong willed child and not about to take Charlie’s crap. Despite the sense of abandonment and loss, Max is strong and plans to make it in the world. This young man’s performance is extraordinary and one main reason to go see the film (aside from Jackman).

They find common ground with the love of the sport and after a backroom deal with Max’s Aunt Debra’s (Hope Davis) husband, Marvin (James Rebhorn), they spend the summer together. While piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal, Max discovers an abandoned complete robot in the pit and decides to salvage him. They start to bond after he discovers a secret, superseding his father in negotiating for his bot’s fights from one underground boxing venue to the next.


Charlie has many lessons to learn when he hits rock bottom, but that which he rejected before is what gives him life and the opportunity to train a championship contender, and back in the ring again.


It is not quite as predictable as I thought it would be and the story about the family, dysfunction and all, is worth watching. I do not recall Dakota Goyo in his performance as Young Thor in 2011, but his performance in ‘Real Steel’ will certainly be memorable.

Liz Lopez

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REAL STEEL is available to own and for in-home viewing as follows:

3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (1 Blu-ray Disc + 1 DVD + 1 Digital Copy) Blu-ray is 1080p HD Widescreen 2.35:1

All 2-Disc Blu-ray Bonus Features, All DVD Bonus Features

All 2-Disc Blu-ray Bonus Features
In the 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (1 Blu-ray Disc + 1 DVD)
REAL STEEL SECOND SCREEN
Countdown to the Fight—The Charlie Kenton Story
Sugar Ray Leonard: Cornerman’s Champ
Deleted and Extended Scenes with introductions by Shawn Levy
—Extended “Meet Ambush”
—Deleted “Butterfly” Storyline
PLUS All DVD Bonus Features
1-Disc DVD (1 DVD)
Making of Metal Valley
Building the Bots
Bloopers

Feature Run Time: 127 Minutes
Ratings: U.S.: PG-13 / CANADA: PG (bonus not rated)
This release does have subtitles on the Blu-ray: ENGLISH SDH; FRENCH and SPANISH

For the DVD, the subtitles are the same, but for SPANISH, it APPLIES TO FILM CONTENT ONLY.

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