Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo. In 2020, boxers have been replaced by robots. Former boxer Charlie (Jackman) has some things to fix in his life, from repaying old debts to making a comeback, but most importantly, he needs to be there for his son Max (Goyo). The main theme throughout the film is family, repairing relationships and moving forward, with some robots mixed in to help do just that. Real Steel is memorable in more ways than one, and to honor that, we've created a list of 10 movies like it that everyone needs to see. After all, once audiences are invested, they can't help but want more.
Over The Top
Over the Top shares two distinct things in common when it comes to comparing it to Real Steel. Father Lincoln Hawk (Sylvester Stallone) and son Michael in Over the Top are reunited as Michael's mother is sick and later dies, and struggle to get along and find common ground. Not to mention Lincoln is struggling to make it as an arm-wrestling champion; if he wins the prizes associated with the competition, he'll be able to start his own business and better provide for his son. If audiences loved Real Steel, they'll enjoy 1987 underrated classic Over the Top as well.
Night At The Museum
Upon first glance, it doesn't seem Night at the Museum shares much in common with Real Steel. However, they share a common plot: the struggle for father and son to connect. Ben Stiller's character isn't very reliable but when he secures a job as a night guard at a museum, he finds there's more to it than meets the eye when everything in the museum comes to life at night.
Eventually, he brings his son to see it for himself, and it helps the two reconnect, not unlike how Charlie's job in Real Steel helped him bond with his son. For audiences that favor the familial aspect, Night at the Museum is a great choice in addition to Real Steel.
Creed
Rocky returns to work in , this time training the son of the late Apollo Creed, Donnie Creed. Wanting to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer, but yet faced with multiple rejections, Donnie heads to Philadelphia to seek out Rocky and ask for his help. The two help each other pave their ways forward, with Donnie pursuing his career, and Rocky faced with his own mortality, but urged to seek treatment for his cancer by Donnie. The film's ending features Rocky and Donnie running up the steps in true Rocky fashion. This movie is worth adding to any audience's list, given it shows Rocky in a different chapter of his life while still maintaining connections to the original franchise.
The Fighter
The Fighter is a biographical sports drama, starring Mark Wahlberg as Micky Ward and Christian Bale as his older half-brother Dicky Eklund. The film offers many insights into boxing and depicts how it has affected an entire family.
Boxing and family appear to be one in this film, one affecting the other in both good and bad ways, but nonetheless ensuring the characters come out stronger for it, especially Micky and Dicky.
Southpaw
Southpaw is a 2015 sports drama film starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams and Forest Whitaker. Gyllenhaal plays Billy, a professional boxer who has it all: a successful career and a wife and daughter who love and him. However, that all changes when one night when Maureen is tragically killed, and Billy then falls into a downward spiral. With his life and family now torn apart, Billy struggles to make a comeback and make amends with those he hurt. However, the comeback symbolizes more than just a revival of his career, but a second chance to heal and move on the right way with the people he loves.
I, Robot
Will Smith stars as Detective Del Spooner in a world where robots serve humanity. However, Spooner holds a severe distrust towards robots due to a past event in which he was saved and a little girl drowned because of a robot's cold and calculated judgment.
For audiences that loved the robots in Real Steel, I, Robot provides an insight into a very different world filled with robots, and the good and bad associated with them.
Big Hero 6
Hiro is a fourteen-year-old prodigy and robotics genius. He's introduced by his brother Tadashi to the research lab at his brother's school, as well as his brother's friends, with Tadashi hoping to get Hiro away from participating in illegal robot fights. All looks well as Hiro is accepted to the university and gets to showcase his microbots, but Hiro's life is turned upside down when a fire hits the showcase and kills his brother. When Hiro unintentionally activates Baymax, the healthcare robot made by Tadashi, he's taken on a new journey, finding that his brother's death may not be accidental, and thus seeks vengeance, until Baymax convinces him otherwise, leading Hiro on the right path to justice and to moving on.
Million Dollar Baby
Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman star in this 2004 film about Maggie (Swank), who enters the world of boxing late in life but determined to achieve her dream of being a professional. Frankie (Eastwood) finally agrees to train Maggie and together they take on boxing, but unfortunately, meet a tragic ending when Maggie is injured severely in a fight and is quadriplegic as a result.
Having developed a father-daughter relationship over the course of training, it makes the film that much more somber. Boxing is not an easy industry, and like Real Steel, it's shown to have its fair share of ups and downs.
The Iron Giant
In Real Steel, Max forges a bond with Atom, not unlike the bond Hogarth has with The Iron Giant. Boy and robot have powerful bonds, becoming the best of friends, and helping one another when they need it most. While Atom helps Max, especially where it concerns his relationship with his father, The Iron Giant helps Hogarth through the loss of his father and his subsequent loneliness.
Rocky
Released in 1976, Rocky has since become a well-known franchise about an underdog boxer named Rocky Balboa rising to fame in Philadelphia. Not unlike Charlie's story in Real Steel, Rocky had to work through his own obstacles and rise against all odds, while also attending to his personal life. Undoubtedly one of the most inspiring movies of all time, especially where it concerns boxing and pursuing goals and dreams, audiences can have an entire Rocky marathon in addition to viewing Real Steel.
