Critics Consensus

Critics Consensus: Real Steel Puts Up a Good Fight

Plus, The Ides of March is Certified Fresh.

by | October 7, 2011 | Comments

This week at the movies, we’ve got boxing robots (Real Steel, starring Hugh Jackman and Anthony Mackie) and a political scandal (The Ides of March, starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney). What do the critics have to say?

Real Steel

60%

You wanna see giant robots punching each other? Then by all means go see Real Steel, say critics, but be prepared for some schmaltz. Hugh Jackman stars as a washed-up pugilist who gets a shot at both professional and personal redemption when he and his estranged son team up to build the ultimate fighting bot and take on all metallic comers. The pundits say Reel Steel is essentially robo-Rocky, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing; if it’s sappy at times, it’s also kinda sweet, and the robot fights are admittedly pretty awesome. (Check out Jackman’s best-reviewed movies here.)

The Ides of March

83%

The Ides of March‘s message isn’t particularly novel — politics is a rough, cynical business — but critics say George Clooney’s latest directorial effort is a still smart tale of political intrigue with a terrific cast. Ryan Gosling stars as Stephen Meyers, the hotshot press secretary for a candidate (Clooney) who’s a tight race for Democratic presidential nomination. The pundits say that the Certified Fresh The Ides of March is able to overcome occasional narrative missteps thanks to outstanding performances and a genuine air of suspense. (Check out our feature on our list of movies with multi-Oscar-nominated casts.)

Also opening this week in limited release: