MAX STEEL
US, 2016, 92 minutes, Colour.
Ben Winchell, Maria Bello, Andy Garcia, Ana Villafane, voice of: Josh Brenner.
Directed by Stewart Hendler.
Max Steel is a superhero story – mainly directed towards adolescent boys rather than an older audience or adolescent girls.
Is based originally on toys and then on cartoons on network television. Ben Winchell now takes on the role of Max, a teenager who discovers that he has all kinds of energy powers, bewildering to him – and to Sofia, the girl to whom he is attracted, to whom he has difficulty explaining the situation, but who, naturally, helps him in his enterprise to find out the truth and combat the villain.
What is distinctive is that there is a technological creature, an alien called Steel, who materialises, with a comic voice by Josh Brenner, who enables Max to energise his powers and direct the. Together they become Max Steel.
The film utilises a lot of the conventions of the superhero film, a vast plant where all kinds of scientific experiments take, place, some sinister characters on the plant, a mysterious storm and destruction, the introduction of themes of aliens, their powers on earth, and a mad scientist wanting these powers. Max’s father worked in the plant, admired by everyone, but mysteriously dying during an experiment.
Maria Bello plays Max’s mother, moving constantly around the United States which disturbs Max, never being able to settle, wondering about his father. They now return to live near the science plant and Max is introduced to the genially suave scientist, Miles Edwards, surprisingly played by Andy Garcia.
The film builds up to a climax, with deadlines for experiments, Steel urging Max on, the girlfriend as well, but his mother trying to protect him.
It doesn’t take great detective work or anticipation to work out who the villain is and his motivations against Max’s father. But he has no chance, Max’s mother disillusioned, Steel helping, the buildup to a superhero confrontation.
The film was not successful at the box office in the United States and released to DVD.
1. A superhero story for adolescent boys? A narrow target audience rather than older boys, girls, adults?
2. The plot parallels with the Superman story, aliens from planets, coming to earth, mysterious father, parents, the alien creature, the issue of energy, the hostile links, the villain? The heroics in costume?
3. The importance of special effects, the tornado and its destruction, the transformations, fights, Max flying and leaping, his armour? Steel, his identity issues, the comic touches of his voice and dialogue? Energy, the transformations, working with Max, and the discussions about his father, his mother? Separation, working together, his suspicion of Sofia? The buildup to the final battle with Miles?
4. Max, his relationship with his mother, his age, the number of moves, his room, the discovery of energy coming from his hands, his ability to stop it? The effects? Going to school, helping people, the boy dropping his books? On the bike, the crash and the encounter with Sofia? And is later doing the drawing of her, upside down? The discussions, at the diner, his always linking? Max in action, his identity, his father and his mother, the father and the motivations?
5. Miles Edwards, pleasant, at the dinner, his working with Max’s father, Max seeking out, the truth, the flashbacks and the truth, the betrayal, wanting power, energy, confronting Max, the fights, Steel helping him? Miles’ death?
6. Max and his adventures, with Steel, the humour, the seriousness? The storms, the threat of the links? Space, to conquer the humans? The attacks?
7. Max’s discovery that his mother knew all about the situations, with her husband, owning the large percentage of the company, getting the squad to find Max? Confronting Miles’s thugs?
8. Finding Max, the truth, and his explaining everything to Sofia? A future?
