While not many people may be huge fans of the movie ‘Real Steel,’ it did alright back when it was released in 2011, and for what it was, it was a pretty decent little movie about a father and son bonding over a robot fighter, coming together as they helped their fighter through his bouts in the ring. However, director Shawn Levy (who went on to ‘Uncharted’ and ‘Stranger Things’) said that there was something in the film that was cut that would have made the film a little deeper, and made you rethink a lot of those fight scenes again had they kept it in the movie. He discussed it during a recent screening of the film held by Collider in LA this week, after which Levy discussed the film with those present. Apparently, according to Levy, there was going to be a moment where they revealed the robot was actually Sentient:
“There was a whole moment—I think it’s okay to say all this now that it’s been five years—but there’s a moment where, before the fifth round of the final fight, they’re like, “We’re throwin’ in the towel, it’s over,” and Max and Charlie are arguing, and we see Atom in the background raise his finger and give like a “one more time” gesture. In script, you’re like, “That’s fucking awesome! That’s gonna be goosebumps! It confirms the sentient nature of Atom.” But when we put the movie together, it felt like, as warm-hearted as the movie was, that was one degree too fairy tale for that movie.”
While it would have been cool, I can see why they cut it out, as it might have taken away from the A-story about the father and the son, forcing you to focus on the robot when the movie really was not about him. Levy also discussed the long-discussed sequel to ‘Real Steel, saying:
“The simple truth, the most concise truth I can express, is that it proved, and it has proven, really hard to come up with a sequel that doesn’t feel like a re-hash of the first movie. Yeah, people wanted to see Atom beat Zeus, I would love to see Atom beat Zeus, but you don’t want to retell the story of kind of an alienation between Charlie and Max because that is really the plot of the first movie…I have to tell you, I had a weird experience watching it tonight because on one hand it felt really good to revisit an old friend, but it also weirdly cemented my conviction that I just shouldn’t make a sequel unless I’m sure it will be better.”
Do you think they should have kept the sentient robot aspect? Are you still waiting for the sequel? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments below!
Nick is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, who belongs to the privileged few who enjoyed the ending to ‘Lost.’ For more of Nick’s thoughts and articles, follow him on Twitter.
