Hugh Jackman stars in ‘Real Steel’

The movie: "Real Steel"

When: Opening Friday at local theaters

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie,

Director: Shawn Levy

The story: In this tale set in the near future, a poor little rich boy teams up with the dad he's never known, a struggling promoter, to spend the summer on the robot-boxing circuit, where giant mechanical fighters do battle.

The buzz: "The Champ" meets "Rocky" -- and Rock-'em-Sock-'em Robots -- in a rousing crowd-pleaser that's already on track for a sequel. (Which is more than we can say for its futuristic 1990 forerunner, "Robot Jox.") Like Shawn Levy's previous family-friendly hits, "Night at the Museum" and its "Battle of the Smithsonian" sequel, "Real Steel" hits theaters in both regular and supersized IMAX form.

-- By CAROL CLING