In short, this movie is about robot boxing (you can find more about it here). Although I find the action to be pretty good, the human interactions are even better.
From the beginning, we can see a person that lives what he does and that he finds ways to keep going forward despite the difficulties he faces. His passion is bigger than the obstacles. Even though he kept going forward, he did it based on what he could see. When his kid shows up and challenges that mindset, Charlie shows some resistance. He doesn’t want to get out of that mindset and when he finally did, everything went better than he expected.
The ability children have to test the limits in everything can be very useful. This is the main reason children ask why tens of times until people around them feel like someone just played soccer with their heads. As adults, we can have some strong limits we use and respect even though everything is in our mind. On the other side, children don’t have that and because of this, they can find surprising solutions to the problems we face. Also, children believe everything is possible and because of this, they are very creative and very positive. Sure, they probably can’t hold a spoon properly, but they can tell amazing stories. We just need to find the time to listen.
I’m looking at the interactions between Charlie, his kid and Atom, the robot, as a metaphor to what happens in our head. Charlie is that part of ourselves that know what it wants and also know the limits we have, while Max, the kid, is that creative part of ourselves which is positive and has no boundaries. And we are just like Atom, doing what those two parts decide. Our behavior is decided, just like Atom’s, by the interactions between Charlie and Max. If we feel insecure and not willing to go forward, it might be because of the limits our Charlie has put in place. If we feel strong like hell, it might be thanks to the positivity Max provided.
What are your opinions about this movie? Have you seen it?
I have seen this movie and although I don’t have any interest in any mind of boxing, robotic or otherwise, I liked it
The relationship of the little boy to his father and his yearning to live with him is very touching.
I like your evaluation of interpersonal relationships and the boundaries of human creativity in this movie
I think that this movie is more about interpersonal relationships and less about the boxing action itself. But it needed something to attract people, right?
I like this movie!
I’m glad you do! 😀
This movie was wonderful, I thought. If you look past the comic book aspect of it, it’s really about a man and his son. He doesn’t even know his own son until he gets him ”home”, and they start working on robots together. I think it’s because his son was and to get him to clean up his act, that he really fell in deep for his son.
It was heart-wrenching. The bitter custody battle, the mobsters. I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for a movie about redemption.
It really puts some perspective in how we see things (or how we need to see them).
Just watched this movie on television. I like watching boxing so that part is not that exciting. But what fascinated me most is watching Charlie at the end of the movie box like he enjoys doing it. I am also a fan of robot movies and Atom is one of my favorite robots ever created.
The last part with the enemies made me laugh. The reporter nailed it!
He did what he loved so that’s why he was so passionate about it!
i watched this movie with my nephews, we all loved it!
It’s an awesome movie! 😀
Love this film about relationships developing and also soul searching. My boys loved the action . It was win win in our house
Yes, and maybe some of that relationship development and soul searching got stock in their minds too, even though not in a conscious manner.
I Totally Agree with you, its one of my favorite films. I love the interaction between Charlie and Max, I loved the way Max get that spark out of Charlie Back, making him realize that he can box again… I loved when max make him(Charlie ) do the shadow movements and get his confidence back… get Charlie’s smile back….
And that’s what happens, when we forget about our bogus limitations that we have made, that are not so helpful, to anyone, and do what our hearts tell us… Awesome film…
I totally agree with you! Sometimes we need a push so we can do what we want.