It would be good if this could be a review of a new Star Wars film but alas George Lucas still hasn’t put pen too paper, instead he sees fit to re-jiggle this film from 1999. At least he has done more than just silly little things, like making characters blink, this time around… but still the question must be raised – did fans of the series really want to see The Phantom Menace in 3D or is it just a grab for new cash.

Everyone by now probably knows the story of The Phantom Menace but in case you don’t… here goes. Two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson – The Grey, Unknown) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor – Beginners, Haywire) are called to the Planet of Naboo to help broker a deal surrounding a blockade. However, they soon learn that this is just the front of something more sinister and realise that Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman – Thor, Your Highness) and her people are under threat. The resulting journey sees them come into contact with Jar Jar Binks (voiced by Ahmed Best (TV’S Star Wars: The Clone Wars & Easy To Assemble) and Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd – Madison)… the latter who becomes one of the most important characters in the Star Wars universe.

You must wonder whether or not Lucas thought the idea of re-releasing all the Star Wars movies in 3D. As most serious film goers will tell you the bottom is about to fall out of the 3D market (people are choosing to see films in 2D rather than pay the high 3D prices) and my releasing The Phantom Menace first people who are new to the series are going to be pretty confused. Simple things like character development for characters such as Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz (Zathura, TV’S Sesame Street) don’t happen to much later in the series (due to the fact that Eps 4,5,6 were released first originally) and you don’t even really get told what ‘Jedi’ is until episode 4.

To be even blunter the 3D does nothing to enhance the film. If the film had been originally shot in 3D then yes scenes such as the pod races would look amazing but by adding 3D in post-production (even if it is 12 years later) you never really get that same look… in fact you soon forget that you are even watching it in 3D.

While it is good to see The Phantom Menace back on the big screen (and maybe for the first time for some) the fact that it is in 3D doesn’t really do anything…although you might find that seeing Jar Jar Binks jump around is even more annoying in 3D.

As far as sci-fi films go The Phantom Menace is okay (it’s nowhere near as good as the original Star Wars films, the story and characters are a lot weaker), but don’t get conned into thinking that seeing it in 3D will make the film-going experience any better.

Year: 2012

Director: George Lucas

Stars: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, Frank Oz

Classification: PG

Runtime: 136 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

So slick and fresh is Chronicle that you could be forgiven for thinking that is something new from J.J. Abrams. Chronicle is the sci-fi film that fans of the genre have been waiting to see for a long, long time. The concept is new and this is one time where the hand-held camera actually enhances the film rather then distracts from the story… dare we say it – this is the best handheld film since Cloverfield.

Andrew (Dane DeHaan – TV’S True Blood & In Treatment) is always the kid that gets pushed around at school (and punched around by his Dad at home) but when he starts carrying a camera around to document his life for his dying mother life becomes interesting. When his cousin, Matt (Alex Russell – Halloween Knight, The Best Man) forces him to go to a rave he is there when Matt and Steve (Michael B. Jordan – Red Tails, TV’S House) discover a mysterious hole and decide to investigate. What happens next leaves Andrew, Matt and Steve with power that they could not have dreamt off, now they must really find out what they are capable of.

This really is the kind of film that director, Josh Trank (TV’S The Kill Point) could have lost control of so badly that it ended up being a B-Grade film found in any $2 Shop bargain bin. Instead, thanks to some great screenwriting from Max Landis (The Death And Return Of Superman, Ghost Closet ’07) this really becomes a film that studies what can actually happen to people when they discover they have super-human abilities. For some it is fun, for others it is the beginning of an anti-hero story.

Trank keeps the film looking natural all the way through and to his credit he doesn’t seem to falter with the all the special effects that are going on either. So natural is the film that at first the climatic ending seems a little far-fetched but when you relax you realise that this had to happen. You may even realise that Tranks does an amazing job making the climax so dramatic and suspenseful while never once falling away from the hand-held technique.

Finally something new and fresh has landed in the sci-fi field. Chronicle by far outweighs expectation and this sneaky little sci-fi is a film worthy of blockbuster status. A must for sci-fi fans.

Year: 2012

Director: Josh Trank

Stars: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan

Classification: M

Runtime: 84 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

It’s a shame but The Darkest Hour becomes yet another film that ends up on that ‘frustrating’ pile of films. Storywise and visually The Darkest Hour works well but sadly it is let down by some really poor dialogue and the fact that you never really get a chance to ‘connect’ with the main characters.

Sean (Emile Hirsch – Killer Joe, Taking Woodstock) and Ben (Max Minghella – The Ides Of March, The Social Network) have arrived in Moscow about to sign the deal of a lifetime. But when they realise they have been screwed over by Skyler (Joel Kinnaman – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Easy Money) they decide to drown their swallows by hitting one of the hippest nightclubs in town. It is here that they run into fellow Americans, Natalie (Olivia Thirlby – Nobody Walks, Margaret) and Anne (Rachael Taylor – Red Dog, Summer Coda). But soon there fun is interrupted by an invasion of alien beings that are mostly invisible to the human eye.

It’s hard to believe that somewhere during the making of this film that somebody didn’t pull aside director, Chris Gorak (Right At Your Door) and say ‘eh…mate can we get this dialogue re-written’. Some of the things the central characters say are really obvious, while the poor old Russian characters are given lines that are almost laughable.

And it’s a shame that the film is like that because the premise of aliens attacking that you can’t see is brilliant… it is the kind of psychological torment that audiences love to see. Gorak shows that he does have talent as a director; his shots of a post-Apocalyptic Moscow are great, while the special effects where humans are devoured by the aliens does look pretty good.

You also have to feel sorry for the cast. Hirsch, Minghella, Thirlby and Taylor. They do a good job with what they have, but the poor blighters were not only given lame dialogue to deliver but also had no room for their characters to develop. The situation the four find themselves in should have given the screenwriters plenty of opportunity to work with group dynamics (especially considering the boys are trapped with someone that just ripped them off) as well as exploring how each character was personally affected by what was going on around them… but in the end the audience was given nothing.

The Darkest Hour is worth seeing just for some of the pretty decent shots that are in it and because this is one time where the filmmakers create some suspense by not being afraid to kill off main characters. Ultimately though, it becomes just an average sci-fi movie that seems to have only surfaced to keep the teens happy during the school holidays.

Year: 2011

Director: Chris Gorak

Stars: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella, Rachael Taylor, Joel Kinnaman

Classification: M

Runtime: 89 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

I’m not sure I have ever heard a movie title cause as much confusion as Journey 2: The Mysterious Island seems to be causing. Outside the world premiere tonight people were asking “Journey 2? Did I need to see Journey 1 first? Was there a Journey 1?” Another asked “is it a sequel to Journey To Witch Mountain”… kind of an out there question considering the film was actually caused Race To Witch Mountain.

Well, put your troubled minds at ease because this is actually a sequel to Journey To The Centre Of The Earth which surfaced way back in 2008 and starred Brendan Fraser in the lead role. And I’m happy to say that chances are if you enjoyed the first one you’ll enjoy this one as well, because even though at times the film does stretch too far in a bid to get a laugh and has some ordinary (at best) special effects, at the end of the day it is a decent family orientated sci-fi/fantasy.

This time around the film centres on Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson – Detention, The Third Rule), who as loyal viewers will realise is the son of Trevor Anderson (the character that Brendan Fraser played in the original). Sean has followed in the footsteps of his father and is continuing to explore the works of Jules Verne in the belief that his work is based on fact and not fiction.

Sean’s mother, Liz (Kristin Davis – Sex And The City 2, Couples Retreat) is now married to Hank (Dwayne Johnson – Fast & Furious 5, Faster), a step-father he is struggling to bond with. However, the pair find common ground when Sean intercepts a coded message which he believes came from his grandfather, Alexander (Michael Caine – Cars 2, Gnomeo & Juliet), who in his eyes is a famous explorer and has just discovered Verne’s Mysterious Island. Buoyed by the call to adventure Hank and Sean leave for Palau when they find the other people willing to help find the island is helicopter pilot, Gabato (Luis Guzman – Arthur, The Caller) and his daughter Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens – Sucker Punch, Beastly).

For the most part Journey 2: The Mysterious Island works well. The script flows well, there is a good set-up of story and characters, so good in fact that you are willing to over look some of the amateurish special effects and even a few ‘well-it’s-lucky-that-happened’ moments…after it all it is a family film. But the one thing that I couldn’t overlook (because it’s one of those horrible film moments I feel I’ll remember forever) is a weird ab-bouncing scene that features Dwayne Johnson. The scene is completely out of place and is only there to try and get a laugh, director Brad Peyton (Cats & Dogs 2: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore, A Tale Of Bad Luck) really needed to just say ‘guys we aren’t filming that.’

Of course none of the actors are really stretched. Hudgens and Hutcherson recover from some incredibly cheesy moments to put in good efforts while Guzman shows (like he did in Arthur) he can pull off some comedy pearlers. Michael Caine as usual does a wonderful job and Dwayne Johnson shows strength in the fact that he can make fun of himself… oh and he sings, and I have to admit he doesn’t have such a bad voice.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is your typical family-friendly sci-fi-fantasy that is capable of entertaining the whole family… just remember that I did warn you about the ab-bouncing scene.

Year: 2012

Director: Brad Peyton

Stars: Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine, Luis Guzman, Kristen Davis

Classification: PG

Runtime: 94 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

Let’s preface this review by saying I am not a Twilight hater, in fact I have enjoyed the other films in the series but sadly I have to say that Breaking Dawn is the weakest of the films so far, possibly because of the fact that it is indeed a part one and seems to lack the suspense and action of the previous films.

Breaking Dawn Part One sees Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart – Eclipse, The Runaways) about to marry her vampire-finacee, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson – Water For Elephants, Eclipse) much to the disgust of her close friend, the werewolf, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner – Abduction, Eclipse). However, when the honeymoon results in Bella falling pregnant (with a pregnancy that moves ahead at an alarming rate) it alarms all the Cullens, especially Carlisle (Peter Facinelli – Eclipse, TV’S Nurse Jackie) who fears that Bella may lose her life. Worse still the werewolf pack decide that the ‘baby’ must be killed at any cost (even if it means taking Bella’s life) which then leaves Jacob with a big decision. Does he stand against his family in the bed to protect the woman he loves, even though she has married his enemy?

Sadly, part of the reason that Breaking Dawn Part 1 is weaker than the other films is thanks to the scissors of the editor who was forced to tone done the film in a bid to satisfy those classifying the film. At the centre of the Twilight story is an epic romance but all the passion is ripped from the honeymoon shots in a bid to get a lower rating. As a result the honeymoon scenes seem out of place in Melissa Rosenberg’s (Eclipse, TV’S Dexter) script and all the drama and suspense is sapped from it, meaning that Bill Condon (Tilda, Dreamgirls) is left directing a limp film that you can only hope is made better by the release of Part Two.

Even the birth scenes are cut to shreds which again destroys all the suspense about whether or not Bella will live or not, and in the end this reviewer found himself more interested in the storyline that was developing around Jacob turning his back on his family… that really says something as I would normally identify myself as Team Edward all the way.

In the long run Breaking Dawn Part 1 does tell an important part of the Twilight story, but it really is the slowest and weakest film in the series so far and I am already finding myself hoping that Part Two is a hell of a lot better. This one really is only for Twi-hards.

Year: 2011

Director: Bill Condon

Stars: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner

Classification: M

Runtime: 117 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

ANOTHER EARTH!!! No you probably haven’t heard of it, after all it is being released in Australia with little or no fuss as it doesn’t feature an A List cast and was directed by a household name. But this is the little film that could! The way this film intertwines sci-fi and drama is a stroke of genius and with an ending that leaves you asking a world of questions, it’s a film I can’t wait to see again.

The films begins on the night that scientists discover another planet that they nickname Earth. Party girl, Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling – Sound Of My Voice, TV’S Community) is driving home, drunk, and while she stares at Earth 2 she takes her eyes off the road long enough to run into a car being driven by composer, John Burroughs (William Mapother – Edwin Boyd, A Warrior’s Heart). The accident results in the death of John’s wife and son and sees Rhoda sent to prison for four years. Upon, her release she discovers that there are plans to send people to Earth 2 (as they have discovered it has life on it) and while she enters the competition she also decides she must apologise to John and try to settle back into life.

Screenwriter/director, Mike Cahill (Boxers & Ballerinas) has created an absolute gem of a film. In a time of remakes and reboots an original film like this just stands out so much. So, well written is the script that you feel for Rhoda despite seeing the accident in which she kills John’s family. The scene of Rhoda standing over the body of the boy will stick with me for such a long time.

Cahill proves himself as a top writer by effortlessly mixing drama and sci-fi together. He seems to have a real handle on the Earth 2 side of the story while the drama and suspense he creates throughout the film leaves the audience breathless… especially when Rhoda first goes to visit John. Cahill also doesn’t fall into the trap of doing a predictable Hollywood ending; the closing scene will have you asking more questions than it answers, but it works… let’s just hope that if a sequel is written its Cahill that pens it.

The other thing that strikes you while watching Another Earth is how good Brit Marling is in the role of Rhoda. Her performance is nothing short of brilliant, she captivates you as she tackles a confronting dramatic role that must have left her drained. It’s an outside chance but this is the kind of role that the Oscar voters should be looking at. Marling is a true sensation and I expect to see big things from her in the future. I also shouldn’t dismiss William Mapother whose on-screen chemistry with Marling takes the film to a whole different level.

Another Earth is a film that shouldn’t be missed. Spectacular visuals (every shot of Earth 2 looks amazing), some of the best acting performances you are ever likely to see and one of the scripts of the year result in a film that is one of the best to surface this year. The film is edgy and alternative in style but gets its great story through and leaves the audience wanting more. I can’t recommend this film highly enough.

Year: 2011

Director: Mike Cahill

Stars: Brit Marling, William Mapother

Classification: M

Runtime: 92 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

Just when you say ‘they aren’t making any original movies anymore’ along comes a film that makes you eat your words. Sure alien invasion movies have been done before but Attack The Block is so original that it will truly shock you… not in the frightening sense but in the sense that somewhere out there a screenwriter actually had an original idea instead of simply just remaking something done years earlier.

Sam (Jodie Whittaker – A Thousand Kisses Deep, One Day) is a nurse who lives in a rough area of South London. Actually, she lives in a council building know as The Block. Technically, The Block is ‘run’ by gangster, Hi-Hatz (Jumayn Hunter – TV’S Vexed & The Bill) and drug dealer, Ron (Nick Frost – Paul, The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn). Sam’s day is changed for the worst when she is mugged by Moses (John Boyega – TV’S Da Brick & Law & Order: UK) and his group of ‘thugs’ who are quickly putting fear into The Block. However, when an alien invasion begins during Sam’s mugging the tough-man Moses quickly ‘wastes’ the first alien, only to then see big and meaner aliens arrive… something the residents of The Block aren’t going to stand for.

Writer/Director, Joe Cornish (TV’S Blunder & The Adam And Joe Show) really is a breath of fresh air. See he hasn’t just created another violent alien invasion film with Attack The Block. Sure there are lots of full-on fight scenes but there is also heart and soul with this film. He tackles some pretty serious topics with the film, including why teenagers end up in gangs like this and brilliant ‘can she forgive him’ storyline between Moses and Sam. The fact that Moses mugs an innocent woman at the start of the film and by the end you are supposed to see him as a hero had failure written all over it… but such is the power of Cornish’s writing that he does it with ease. Unlike most films in this genre Cornish makes sure all his characters are truly three dimensional, he even remembers to include character development. Cornish is a brilliant filmmaker who I can’t wait to see more from.

Cornish also doesn’t rest the laurels of the film on big name actors either. Sure, Nick Frost gets top billing but he really doesn’t have that large part in the film. No the true stars here are the teens and they all do a sensational job. However, the real standout is John Boyega who not only pulls of the action scenes sensational well but when it comes to drama he shows that he should be considered one of the finest young character actors going around. Jodie Whittaker also deserves a mention for her fine performance as well.

Attack The Block doesn’t look like the kind of film that a critic would be raving about, but seriously I can’t recommend this film enough. It just goes to show that you can’t tell by the packaging how good the present will be. This ends up being a creative film with some good acting, a great suspenseful storyline and enough action to keep anyone happy. One of the biggest surprises of this year, Attack The Block is a breath of fresh air.

Year: 2011

Director: Joe Cornish

Stars: Nick Frost, Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Jumayn Hunter

Classification: TBC

Runtime: 88 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

After the disappointment that was The Adjustment Bureau I have to admit I was pretty skeptical when approaching In Time, but I was so pleasantly surprised. This is a sci-fi that genuinely works, it’s characters are interesting and it has enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. And yes to answer the elephant that is the room, Justin Timberlake’s acting is up to standout.

In Time is set in a period where people wear their life-clock ticks down on their arms. When it reaches zero you’re dead, and with time working as currency more often than not you’re going to die young. For Will Salas (Justin Timberlake – Friends With Benefits, Bad Teacher) and his mother, Rachel (Olivia Wilde – The Change-Up, Cowboys & Aliens) make ends meet by just scraping by. However, after a chance meeting with Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer – TV’s White Collar & Chuck) and the death of Rachel Will learns the secret of how the rich live such long lives and he sets about getting revenge. With Timekeeper Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy – Retreat, Tron: Legacy) hot on his tails Will soon finds himself teaming up with socialite, Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried – A Bag Of Hammers, Red Riding Hood) in order to get his mission done.

While In Time may not be as slick as a film like The Matrix it is certainly a sci-fi that will impress. The only holes in director/screenwriter, Andrew Niccol’s (Lord Of War, S1m0ne) screenplay are only small and he has developed a storyline that does totally stuck you in. His lead character of Will is interesting and easily identifiable with, you want Will to succeed because he is technically a modern day Robin Hood. The fact that there are many questions about Sylvia’s character only adds to the suspense of the story at hand. My only major gripe is that some of the Timekeepers are given some pretty one-dimensional lines, but that can easily be excusable when you are so engulfed with the story at hand.

With a brilliant performance in The Social Network and not much to work with in Friends With Benefits and Bad Teacher all eyes are going to be on Justin Timberlake’s performance. Well he doesn’t put in an Oscar-winning performance but he does put in an effort credible enough to prove that he does actually have a future ahead of him as an actor. He is good in an action based range but also shows glimpses of a dramatic range that shows he is actually capable of much more. Here he is also well supported by Amanda Seyfried whose performance is not too dissimilar to Milla Jovovich’s in The Fifth Element. Cillian Murphy also seems to relish in the role of a mysterious Timekeeper.

In Time is certainly not an award-winning film but it will certainly hold its interest. It’s storyline is enough to keep the audience interested and you will find your eyes fixed on the screen from start to finish. Not brilliant but this sci-fi is good enough to warrant respect.

Year: 2011

Director: Andrew Niccol

Stars: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Olivia Wilde, Matt Bomer, Cillian Murphy

Classification: M

Runtime: 109 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

It may nearly be thirty years old but a little bit of remastering has brought the classic Ghostbusters back to life brighter and better than ever. Even better still the story and the comedy of the film still hold up and once again audiences get a chance to relive their early years through what after a re-watch I have decided should be classed as a piece of cinematic brilliance.

For those who have never seen Ghostbusters, it tells the story of three scientists, Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray – Passion Play, Fantastic Mr. Fox), Dr. Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd – Yogi Bear, TV’S The Defenders) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis – Year One, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) lose their jobs shortly after they discover ghosts really are real… and then determine a way to trap them. The three then form an agency called Ghost Busters and decide to make their services available to the public. Soon, they are working on the mysterious happenings that are occurring in the apartment of the beautiful, Dana (Sigourney Weaver – Abduction, Paul). Soon, they realise that the happenings there are about to turn into something catastrophic.

Director, Ivan Reitman (No Strings Attached, My Super Ex-Girlfriend) really was onto something special when he was to sit at the helm of Ghostbusters. The film really does nothing wrong. Sure, some of the special effects look a little bit dated these days but everything else works just fine. When you are laughing out loud at Ghostbusters it makes you realise just how poor today’s comedies really are while first-time viewers of the film will get a chance to see how easily sci-fi and comedy can be mixed… now why can’t somebody manage to do it these days.

The real standout in this film though is Bill Murray. Like the recently released Get Low this is really one of Murray’s better films. His performance is faultless and his comedy timing is enough to make any modern day comedian jealous. The character of Venkman is one of the funniest roles to ever surface in Hollywood. His womanizing ways make him a laugh-a-moment buffoon, and he has you laughing over and over again.

Having Ghostbusters remastered is the perfect excuse to give this old classic another watch and if you’re family hasn’t seen it yet then I guess you’ll just have to make a trip to the cinema as soon as you can. Even after 30 years Ghostbusters is still a comedy that will have you laughing throughout the entire film.

Year: 1984

Director: Ivan Reitman

Stars: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver

Classification: PG

Runtime: 104 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

Everywhere you turn at the moment it seems that Real Steel is simply being billed ‘as that boxing robot movie’, but after viewing the film you soon realise that this is far beyond any simple action/science-fiction film. For starters Steven Spielberg’s influence as producer is seriously noticeably, as the film has real heart from beginning to end. Secondly the acting is top notch, and once again Spielberg shows that when it comes to picking child actors he is far superior to everyone else.

Real Steel is set in the near future, a future where human boxing has been replaced by robot boxing. This move sees good fighters such as Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman – Butter, Snow Flower And The Secret Fan) on the scrap heap. However, Charlie is trying to make something of his life, he is trying to be a successful owner of fighting robots but due to a string of bad luck he is left owing money to people such as Ricky (Kevin Durand – Edwin Boyd, I Am Number Four). Charlie is then informed that his former flame has died and that his son, Max (Dakota Goyo – Thor, TV’S Arthur) needs him. Desperate for money Charlie aggrees to ‘sell’ Max to his Aunt (Hope Davis – The Special Relationship, The Family Tree) and her aging-rich husband (James Rebhorn – TV’S Big Lake & White Collar). The deal sees Charlie looking after Max for a summer and soon Max becomes interested in his father’s career, much to Charlie’s horror. Soon, with the help of Bailey (Evangeline Lily – Afterwards, TV’S Lost) Max has his own robot and he is entering into a world of robot-boxing dominated by Tak Mashido (Karl Yune – Speed Racer, TV’S Knight Rider) and Farra (Olga Fonda – Love, Little Fockers).

It is obvious that director, Shawn Levy (Date Night, Night At The Museum 2) was operating under Spielberg’s guidance. The rich themes that run through the film, such as Charlie learning to have a relationship with his son and Max’s own relationship with robot that may or may not have feelings has that touch of ‘heart’ that only Spielberg can bring to a film. Levy has done a fine job not holding back, despite the fact some may find the robot versus bull fight hard to stomach it really does show how desperate Charlie has become. Levy also manages to keep a control on ‘the mix’ of the film. His characters are all believable and three-dimensional and he doesn’t allow either the action sequences or the love-story (between Charlie and Bailey) ever over-shadow the fact that the end of the day this is a film about a father-son relationship.

A terrific script is also a blessing for the actors. Hugh Jackman brings a touch of class to the role of Charlie while Evangeline Lily doesn’t allow her limited screen time to take anything away from her performance. However, the standout here is Dakota Goyo – he has genuine talent and you don’t get ‘gee his annoying’ feeling you get when you watch some other child actors. With Goyo you feel that Spielberg has found his new Christian Bale.

If you write Real Steel off as just a corny action film then you have done yourself a serious disservice. This is a film that deserves respect as it’s good acting, script and basis makes for one entertaining ride. This is the kind of film that will have you on the edge of your seat with anticipation one moment and nearly crying the next second. Real Steel is surprisingly powerful with real soul.

Year: 2011

Director: Shawn Levy

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lily, Dakota Goyo

Classification: M

Runtime: 127 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths