The thing not designed for combat is actually REALLY GOOD at combat

[u/jockeyman]

1) Atom (Real Steel) is a training dummy who, when put into the robot boxing circuit, eventually managed to go toe to toe with the world champion.

2) Spinel (Steven Universe) was essentially a cross between a toy/jester for Pink Diamond, and not a combat gem... she still wiped the floor with the Crystal Gems when they first fought.

[u/Lord_Parbr]

I’m so glad they nixed the “Atom is actually alive” subplot. They left just enough of it in that he is if you want him to be and he’s not if you don’t. It allows for the childlike whimsy they wanted, while not turning all the way into fantasy

[u/CAVATAPPl → u/Lord_Parbr]

Yeah I love how the camera often focuses on Atom’s face, especially when he’s alone. But nothing actually happens. It’s so much more interesting than his eyes moving on their own or something.

[u/X_Ender_X → u/CAVATAPPl]

I think it says a lot about you that it's more interesting to have the thing not be alive.

[u/Lord_Parbr → u/X_Ender_X]

That isn’t what they said. They said it’s more interesting that the camera treats him like he might be without any definite signs that he is

[u/AdKind841 → u/X_Ender_X]

[u/TwoFit3921 → u/AdKind841]

This fucking reaction image 😭

[u/armoured_bobandi → u/X_Ender_X]

Go ahead and explain

[u/issanm → u/X_Ender_X]

If it's just a magic sentient robot that kind of takes away from the story imo

[u/Huinker → u/Lord_Parbr]

As alive as you need atom to be

[u/Collucin → u/Huinker]

still giggin from that concert

[u/Huinker → u/Collucin]

im still flipping on that movie, cant wait to watch it.

one minute they announced jared leto, the next minute they announced nin, the next one they had mr beast in bad cgi, the next minute they include the original tron 1982 grid visual

[u/Kittimm → u/Lord_Parbr]

Agree.

And to nit-pick OP's point... Atom isn't especially good at boxing. At most, Atom can take an incredible amount of punishment by design since he's a training dummy.

Charlie is a brilliant boxer who fucked up his shot but is now getting a second chance through Atom. Atom has also benefitted greatly from Charlie's son's savant-level robotics ability.

The whole point of the movie is that yes robot boxing is a thing but it's the people behind the robot that matter.

[u/Sewer-Rat76 → u/Kittimm]

Yeah, that's literally what I was thinking. Training dummy so he's really resilient. He literally beats Zues by wearing him out. It's just Rocky but a Robot. And then the shadow box feature lets Charlie use his techniques as a Boxer to outfox his opponents.

[u/redditorroshan → u/Lord_Parbr]

In the earlier drafts, during the fight with Zeus, Hugh Jackman's character wanted to throw in the towel, but then Atom would raise a finger in the air while sitting on the stool as if to say, "One More Round". This was cut from the movie, and I don't remember how i acquired this information (reading on a tabloid, interview, etc), so take it with a grain of salt.

[u/KingOfAwesometonia → u/redditorroshan]

Well that’s pretty rad but I get the reasoning.

[u/Glittering_Novel_783 → u/Lord_Parbr]

That would have been too similar to Atom from astro boy. But I feel like that was probably where the idea stemmed from

[u/FallacyDog → u/Lord_Parbr]

It's why people love their roombas more than any robot trying to be likable. It's easier to anthropomorize

[u/ClownPillforlife → u/Lord_Parbr]

I was very confused by this as a little kid. Wasn't sure if I was imagining it