I left the theatre feeling energized and joy-filled, throughout the film I enjoyed the ride, laughed out loud more than a few times, almost cried at least once, and a couple of times felt like standing up and cheering out loud along with the crowd on screen. So that's why I say it is a good movie.
I'm not saying it's [-- what was that movie called? Oh yeah --] Citizen Kane. (But maybe it's Citizen Kane mixed with ROCKY!)
I judge a movie by the "potential experience" for a film of that particular genre, i.e. "what were the film-makers going for -- did they succeed?" Here I feel they definitely exceeded my expectation for "this type of movie".
Heck, back when it first was talked about, we all thought it was rockem-sockem on the Big Screen (and mocked the idea), but nope it was partially inspired by a Richard Matheson short story "
Steel", and the finished product had a very decent (and attention-keeping) plot and character development along the way (and the kid who plays the 11-year old son Max was amazingly talented right from his very first appearance and spoken line!) and there were very few moments where eye-rolling was induced.
cliffs: I was happily surprised that this movie wasn't at all what I expected when I first heard of it. But it also stood "on its own" (not just contrasted with low expectations).
