Summary
Despite making a modest impact on release, it’s now clear that Hugh Jackman’sReal Steelis not just a better movie than many gave it credit for, but also proves where the much more successfulTransformersseries has gone wrong. Although currently unavailable on the US version of the site,Real Steelhas found an international audience on Netflix– proving to be the eighth-most popular movie around the world between June 3 and August 15, 2025. This performance, 13 years on from its release, is both slightly surprising and a timely reminder of the movie’s qualities.
Superficially, there are many similarities betweenReal SteelandtheTransformersmovies. Most obviously, both revolve around giant robots fighting each other. However, while the metallic protagonists seem very alike, there is arguably more that divides the two properties than unites them. WhereasTransformers' robots are anthropomorphic aliens,Real Steel’s bots are human-made fighters, created only for entertainment. While this might suggest thatTransformersis a more relatable series, the truth is much more complex – revealingReal Steel’s relative successes in the process.
Real Steel Combines Strong Human Characters With Robot Action
It Avoids Transformers' Biggest Mistake
As theTransformersseries developed, many of the movies – particularly those under thedirection of Michael Bay– emphasized the robots rather than the humans at the heart of the story. Although the most critically successful entries, such asBumblebeeand the originalTransformers, made a point of creating relatable and empathetic human characters before unleashing robot carnage,movies likeRevenge of the FallenandAge of Extinctioneschewed characterization in favor of spectacle. Although it had nowhere near the level of financial success,Real Steelhighlights the benefits of a different approach.
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Although the thrilling prospect of fighting robots givesReal Steelits own impressive action sequences, the movie’s real strength comes from its human characters.Hugh Jackman’s Charlie is arguably more relatable than anyone in theTransformersfranchise, combining the timely stories of an everyman made obsolete by the advance of technology with a father struggling to live up to his own idea of manhood. Compared to the portrayal of equivalent characters in theTransformersseries, like Mark Whalberg’s Cade Yeager,Real Steelpresents a compelling and complex portrait that makes the action even more meaningful.
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Real Steel was a great movie in its own right, so we want to continue the fun with movies like it that everyone needs to see.
Real Steel Understands That Emotional Depth Is The Key To Success
It’s Not Enough To Present Explosive Action Scenes
Alongside crafting compelling human characters for audiences to relate to,Real Steeltakes deliberate steps to ensure that their stories are emotionally resonant. Charlie’s complicated relationship with his son, for example, forms the heart of the story, with the robots augmenting rather than usurping this narrative. Although the final fight between Atom and Zeus takes center stage during the film’s finale,the scene is much more affecting because of well-established dynamicsbetween all the key characters, with the showdown facilitating a triumphant catharsis even as Atom loses.
This is in stark contrast to the approach of theweakerTransformersmovies. Entries likeRevenge of the FallenandDark of the Moon, in particular, offer little in the way of emotional impact sincethe human characters are far too thinly drawn to feel fully-rounded and realized. Likewise, the Transformers themselves are often reduced to the role of comic relief, with their chaotic battles requiring little emotional investment from the audience.
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What’s perhaps most frustrating, when assessing theTransformersseries as a whole, is thatsome movies have recognized the need for the kind of emotional depth thatReal Steelexemplifies.Bumblebee, for example, blended the need for impressive action sequences with emotional intelligence – introducing Hailee Steinfeld’s Charlie as a character struggling to process her father’s death. It’s no coincidence thatBumblebeebecame the highest-ratedTransformersmovieafter following this approach.
Real Steel Made Its Robots Sympathetic With No Dialog
It Was A Classic Case Of Less Is More
One of the major criticisms leveled at theTransformersmovies has been the characterization of its robots. As the series developed,the robots were increasingly employed as comic relief– sometimes extremely questionably – with excessive dialog doing little to endear them to the viewer. In the case of Optimus Prime, his role was often reduced to explaining the story to audiences instead of developing his character with relationship changes and genuine growth.
Real Steel, by contrast, understood that robot characters don’t need to explain themselves in order for an audience to empathize with them. Much as Pixar’sWall-eavoided dialog,Real Steel’s robots are much more subtle. For instance, it’s only through subtle movements and sly acknowledgments that it’s acknowledged that Atom may be sentient, with his silence only becoming more powerful as he goes through the trials of combat. WhileTransformers' dialog was often questionable for all its characters,Real Steelmakes it clear that robots don’t need to speak in order to engender sympathy.
Although he is at an advantage thanks to the frequency of his appearances, Bumblebee is by far and away the most relatableTransformersrobot, all without speaking…
Again, there is already an example of this in theTransformersfranchise. Although he is at an advantage thanks to the frequency of his appearances, Bumblebee is by far and away the most relatableTransformersrobot, all without speaking – at least, in a traditional sense. This approach with Bumblebee not only makes it more difficult for him to be tarnished with some of the series' more puerile gags, but it also means thathe doesn’t distract from the human characters' emotions, becoming an avatar for their feelings, rather than a brash personality in his own right – a winning combination, as further proven byBumblebee’s success.
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Here’s a complete explanation of the timeline within the live-action Transformers movies and the best order to watch the films in chronological order.
Transformers Prioritized Spectacle Over Story
It’s The Biggest Difference Between The Two Giant Robot Sagas
While the contrast betweenTransformersandReal Steelfrom an emotional perspective is stark, the biggest lesson that the Hugh Jackman sci-fi teaches is thatspectacle means nothing unless the story is engaging. Instead of moving speedily between robot fights,Real Steelpunctuates the action with scenes that prioritize character development. Compared toTransformers, the narrative is actually relatively sedate, with nowhere near the same level of globe-trotting, complex MacGuffins, or world-ending stakes. And yet, despite the story feeling smaller,Real Steel’s action is actually much easier to relate to.
Real Steelis by no means a perfect movie. As pointed out by many critics, the film has too many similarities with underdog sports dramas to be considered a particularly innovative addition to the genre. However, as a template for making a film about fighting robots both entertaining and engaging,Real Steelprovides several lessons forTransformersto learn.
