Max Steel (film)

Last updated

Max Steel
Max Steel poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Stewart Hendler
Written by Christopher L. Yost
Based on Max Steel
by Mattel
Produced by
  • Bill O'Dowd
  • Julia Pistor
Starring
CinematographyBrett Pawlak
Edited byMichael Louis Hill
Music byNathan Lanier
Production
companies
Distributed by Open Road Films (United States)
IM Global (Europe & Asia) [2]
Release dates
  • October 14, 2016 (2016-10-14)(United States)
  • October 25, 2016 (2016-10-25)(United Kingdom)
Running time
92 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10 million [3]
Box office$6.3 million [4]

Max Steel is a 2016 superhero film based on the eponymous action-figure line by Mattel, which was co-produced by its Playground Productions division with Dolphin Films [5] and Ingenious Media. [1] Open Road Films released the film theatrically on October 14, 2016 in the United States [6] while IM Global handled its European and Asian distribution. [2]

Contents

Directed by Stewart Hendler and written by Christopher Yost, [7] the film stars Ben Winchell, Josh Brener, Ana Villafañe, Andy García, Maria Bello, and Billy Slaughter. The film chronicles the adventures of teenaged Max McGrath (Winchell) and alien companion Steel (Brener), who combine their powers to form the superhero Max Steel.

Filming began on April 29, 2014, in Wilmington, North Carolina and concluded in late May 2014. It was panned by critics, and was a box office failure, grossing $6.3 million globally and overall against a budget of $5 million to $10 million. [4] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Plot

Teenager Max McGrath moves with his mother Molly to the town of Copper Canyon, where he was born and where his father Jim McGrath died in a supposed storm. In his first few days at school, he realizes that almost everyone in town knows more about Jim than he does because his mother refuses to talk about Jim's past or death. During dinner with Jim's friend Miles Edwards, Max learns that his father worked for N-TEK, an advanced research company now run by Miles. Concurrently after arriving, Max discovers he emits a unique form of tachyonic energy called TURBO which is powerful enough to overload any electrical item, but he has no control over when he emits it. After sensing an oncoming overload during a date with classmate Sofia, Max encounters an amnesiac alien creature named Steel, who symbiotically bonds with Max to absorb the energy.

Finding themselves chased by mysterious men, Max takes Steel to his high school to hide and finds himself opening up emotionally for the first time in his life. Max learns to control and harness his powers, including linking with Steel to form a suit of armor. While linked, Max starts to see his father's life through flashbacks shared with Steel and learns that an alien race called the Ultralinks with the power to manipulate the elements launched an attack on N-TEK. In search of answers, Max goes there to visit Miles, who explains that Jim was working on creating a generator capable of creating an unlimited source of power, and suggests that Jim died in an accident caused by not following safety procedures. Feeling another energy spike, Max finds solace but is soon caught in a powerful storm, which he realizes is an Ultralink. Working together, Max and Steel defeat the Ultralink and, to their shock, find it looks identical to Steel. Another flashback hints that Steel was responsible for Jim's death, causing Max to lash out at Steel and walk away.

Max discovers Molly is missing, borrows Sofia's car, and calls Miles, who reveals he is aware of the Ultralinks and that Molly was kidnapped as a trap for Max at the old N-TEK Facility where Jim died. Max goes to the facility and finds Steel captured, where he has a flashback that shows the truth: Jim McGrath was an alien who naturally generated TURBO, Steel was his partner, and the power generator was a machine designed to harness and focus his natural energy; however, Miles became addicted to infusing the TURBO for the power it gave him, and allied with the Ultralinks to absorb Jim's energy for himself. Jim overloaded the core to stop Miles and, with his final words, told Steel to find and protect Max at all costs.

Miles entraps Max, having created a suit of armor that drains TURBO, seeking to harvest the energy for himself. Learning to use his armored form as Max Steel, Max fights Miles aided by the mysterious men, revealed to be an N-TEK Special Forces Squad who were working for Miles to find Steel, but are now working for Molly (as majority shareholder of the company). Working together, Max and Steel generate so much energy that Miles is unable to absorb it, overloading him in a massive explosion. Molly reveals that after Jim's death, she feared the Ultralinks would come after Max, so she constantly moved until Miles suggested they move back to Copper Canyon in case Max started to emit TURBO. Max apologizes to Sofia for his behavior and makes a date for that night, then goes for a flight in the armor with Steel's assistance.

Cast

In addition, Mike Doyle appears briefly as Jim McGrath, Max's father.

Production

Development

An early attempt to create a Max Steel film occurred in December 2009 when Paramount Pictures purchased the rights to the franchise. [12] Taylor Lautner was an early choice for the starring role, although he later dropped out due to commitment to the Stretch Armstrong film. [13] In January 2013, production was suspended when Max Steel was developed into a television series of the same name, airing later that year. [14] In August 2013, plans for a new film adaptation resumed with Mattel partnering with Dolphin Entertainment to fund the film. [7]

In February 2014, Ben Winchell and Ana Villafañe were cast as Max McGrath and Sofia Martinez, respectively. [15] That same month, the press officially confirmed Andy García's casting as Dr. Miles Edwards. [16] In May 2014, Maria Bello and Mike Doyle joined the cast as Molly and Jim McGrath, Max's parents. [17] [18]

Filming

Principal photography commenced on April 29, 2014, in Wilmington, North Carolina [17] [19] and ended on May 31, 2014. [2]

Reception

Box office

Max Steel grossed $3.8 million in the United States and Canada and $2.5 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $6.3 million, against a production budget of $5–10 million. [4]

Max Steel opened on October 14, 2016, alongside The Accountant and Kevin Hart: What Now? , and was expected to gross $5–7 million from 2,034 theaters in its opening weekend. [20] After grossing just $637,795 on its first day the film went on to open to $2.2 million, finishing 11th at the box office. [21] In its second weekend the film grossed $680,104 finishing 17th at the box office, making it a box office bomb. [22]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 0% based on 21 reviews, with an average rating of 2.7/10. The site's critics' consensus states: "Bereft of characterization or even satisfying rock 'em sock 'em, Max Steel feels like futzing with an action figure without any childhood imagination." [23] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score 22 out of 100, based on reviews from 7 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [24] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. [25]

IGN critic Alex Welch gave the film a score of 4 out of 10, summarizing his review with: "Max Steel is one of the more forgettable and pointless attempts at a superhero franchise in the current post-MCU Hollywood market, lacking any of the originality or vibrance that could give it even a remote shot at a successful future." [8] Variety 's Joe Leydon gave a negative review, describing it as: "A half-baked, time-wasting curtain-raiser for a superhero franchise that is never, ever going to happen." [9] Christy Lemire for RogerEbert.com gave half a star out of 4, writing: "For a movie about developing the greatest energy source in the universe, Max Steel is surprisingly bland" and that "a movie based on a toy should be a whole lot more fun than this." [10] The Hollywood Reporter critic Frank Scheck gave an unfavorable review, writing: "Even tweens may find themselves underwhelmed by the new live-action film based on what—for many of them—may be their favorite Mattel action figure. Delivering a bland cinematic origin story which seems calculated to boost Christmas toy sales, Max Steel is a stillborn, would-be franchise starter, sneaked into multiplexes without advance critic screenings." [11]

Home media

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released Max Steel on Digital HD on January 3, 2017, then released the film on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD combo-pack on January 10, 2017. [26]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Winchell</span> American ventriloquist and actor (1922–2005)

Paul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, comedian, actor, humanitarian, and inventor whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1950 to 1954, he hosted The Paul Winchell Show, which also used two other titles during its prime time run on NBC: The Speidel Show, and What's My Name?. From 1965 to 1968, Winchell hosted the children's television series Winchell-Mahoney Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIT Entertainment</span> British-American entertainment company

HIT Entertainment Limited was a British-American entertainment company founded in 1982 as Henson International Television, the international distribution arm of The Jim Henson Company, by Jim Henson, Peter Orton, and Sophie Turner Laing. Orton alone took over the company in 1989 after learning Henson intended to sell the company to The Walt Disney Company. HIT owned and distributed children's television series such as Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder, Pingu, Barney & Friends, and Angelina Ballerina.

<i>Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice</i> 2016 DC Comics superhero film

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a 2016 American superhero film based on the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, DC Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, and Cruel and Unusual Films, and distributed by Warner Bros., it is a follow-up to the 2013 film Man of Steel and the second film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film was directed by Zack Snyder, written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, alongside Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the first live-action film to feature Batman and Superman together, as well as the first live-action cinematic portrayal of Wonder Woman. In the film, criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a preemptive battle with Superman, who Luthor is obsessed with destroying.

<i>Max Steel</i> (2000 TV series) 2000 TV series

Max Steel is an American action/science fiction animated television series which originally aired from February 26, 2000, to January 15, 2002, based on the Mattel action-figure of the same name. Max Steel ran for three seasons, totaling thirty-five episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantastic Four in film</span> Adaptions of Fantastic Four in films

The superhero team Fantastic Four featured in Marvel Comics publication has appeared in four live-action films since its inception. The plots deal with four main characters, known formally as Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm, and how they adapt to the superpowers they attain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nerd Corps Entertainment</span> Canadian animation studio

Nerd Corps Entertainment was a Canadian animation studio located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded by former Mainframe Studios producers Asaph Fipke and Chuck Johnson in 2002, it specialized in CGI animation, computer animation, and Flash animation.

<i>Max Steel</i> Line of action figures produced by Mattel

Max Steel was an American media franchise produced and owned by the multinational company Mattel. Originally released as a line of action figures marketed from 1999 to 2022, the Max Steel name has expanded to live-action movies, animated series, and video games.

<i>Man of Steel</i> (film) 2013 film by Zack Snyder

Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, DC Entertainment, and Syncopy, it was directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay written by David S. Goyer who developed the story with producer Christopher Nolan. The film is a reboot of the Superman film series, depicting the character's origin story, and it is the first installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill as Superman in the title role along with Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Russell Crowe. In the film, Clark Kent learns that he is a superpowered alien from the planet Krypton. He assumes the role of mankind's protector as Superman, making the choice to face General Zod and prevent him from destroying humanity.

<i>Turbo</i> (2013 film) 2013 animated film directed by David Soren

Turbo is a 2013 American animated sports comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by David Soren from a screenplay he co-wrote with Darren Lemke and Robert Siegel. It stars Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Luis Guzmán, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolph, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Bennett, Samuel L. Jackson and Bill Hader. Set in Los Angeles, the film follows an ordinary garden snail Theo/Turbo (Reynolds) who pursues his dream of winning the Indy 500 after a freak accident gives him superspeed.

<i>The Conjuring</i> 2013 American supernatural horror film

The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. It is the inaugural film in The Conjuring Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting. Their purportedly real-life reports inspired The Amityville Horror story and the associated film franchise. The Warrens come to the assistance of the Perron family, who experienced increasingly disturbing events in their newly occupied farmhouse in Rhode Island in 1971.

<i>Max Steel</i> (2013 TV series) 2013 animated series

Max Steel is a CGI–animated science fiction action-adventure superhero television series co-produced by Mattel Playground Productions, Nerd Corps Entertainment and FremantleMedia Enterprises. It is a reimagining of its predecessor of the same name, as well as being based on the Mattel action-figure also of the same name. Max Steel premiered on March 25, 2013, on Disney XD.

<i>Fantastic Four</i> (2015 film) 2015 film directed by Josh Trank

Fantastic Four is a 2015 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Directed by Josh Trank, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jeremy Slater and Simon Kinberg, it stars Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell and Toby Kebbell. The film follows a group of intelligent teenagers that build a transdimensional portal, causing them to gain superhuman abilities.

<i>The Boss Baby</i> 2017 animated film by Tom McGrath

The Boss Baby is a 2017 American animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Loosely based on the 2010 picture book of the same name by Marla Frazee, it was directed by Tom McGrath from a screenplay by Michael McCullers, and stars the voices of Alec Baldwin as the title character, along with Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Miles Bakshi, and Tobey Maguire. The first installment in The Boss Baby franchise, the plot follows a boy helping his baby brother who is a secret agent in the war for adults' love between babies and puppies.

<i>Aquaman</i> (film) 2018 superhero film by James Wan

Aquaman is a 2018 American superhero film based on the DC character of the same name. Co-produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the sixth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by James Wan from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall, it stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman, who sets out to lead the underwater kingdom of Atlantis and stop his half-brother, King Orm from uniting the seven underwater kingdoms to destroy the surface world. Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman also star in supporting roles.

<i>Logan</i> (film) 2017 film by James Mangold

Logan is a 2017 American superhero film starring Hugh Jackman as the titular character. It is the tenth film in the X-Men film series, the third and final installment in the Wolverine trilogy, following X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and The Wolverine (2013), and a standalone sequel to X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). The film, which takes inspiration from the "Old Man Logan" comics storyline by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, follows an aged Wolverine and an extremely ill Charles Xavier who must defend a young mutant named Laura from the Reavers led by Donald Pierce and Zander Rice. The film is produced by 20th Century Fox, Marvel Entertainment, TSG Entertainment and The Donners' Company, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is directed by James Mangold, who co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Green and Scott Frank from a story by Mangold. In addition to Jackman, the film also stars Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, and introduces Dafne Keen in her film debut as Laura.

<i>Justice League</i> (film) 2017 film produced by DC Films

Justice League is a 2017 American superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, and Cruel and Unusual Films, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the fifth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by Zack Snyder who was replaced by Joss Whedon after Snyder left the project and written by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon, the film features an ensemble cast including Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, and J. K. Simmons. In the film, following the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Batman and Wonder Woman recruit The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg after the death of Superman to save the world from the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ana Villafañe</span> American actress

Ana Teresa Villafañe is an American actress and singer from Miami, Florida, best known for her portrayal of pop icon Gloria Estefan in the Broadway musical On Your Feet!.

Ben Winchell is an American film and television actor, known for playing Aiden in the film Teen Spirit and Dixon Ticonderoga in the series A.N.T. Farm. He has played the title role of Max Steel in the live-action film Max Steel.

<i>Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie</i> 2017 superhero film directed by David Soren

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is a 2017 American animated superhero comedy film based on Dav Pilkey's children's novel series, titled Captain Underpants, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the film was directed by David Soren from a screenplay by Nicholas Stoller, and stars the voices of Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Thomas Middleditch, Jordan Peele, and Kristen Schaal, the film was released during the 20th anniversary of the Captain Underpants series. In the film, two fourth-grade pranksters, named George and Harold, hypnotize their humorless principal, named Mr. Krupp, into thinking he is a superhero, named Captain Underpants. The film loosely adapts the first, the second, the fourth, and the eleventh Captain Underpants books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mattel Films</span> Film division and subsidiary of Mattel

Mattel Films is the film production division of Mattel originally formed on October 16, 2013, as Mattel Playground Productions as part of Mattel Global Brands, a unified media structural and strategy unit.

References

  1. 1 2 Scheck, Frank (October 14, 2016). "'Max Steel': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Ingram, Hunter (May 29, 2014). "'Max Steel' wraps local production this weekend". StarNewsOnline.com. Wilmington, NC: Wilmington Star News. Archived from the original on September 3, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2014. ...sales group IM Global secured distribution deals for the film in most of the European and Asian markets.
  3. ↑ Shepherd, Jack (November 24, 2016). "The biggest film flop of 2016 has been named and shamed" . The Independent . Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Max Steel (2016)". Box Office Mojo . Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  5. ↑ Graser, Marc (November 5, 2013). "Mattel's Bold Plan to Take Control Back From Hollywood". Variety) . Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  6. ↑ Polowy, Kevin (August 31, 2016). "'Max Steel' Exclusive: Watch the First U.S. Trailer for Long-Awaited Action Movie (Plus a Director Q&A)". Yahoo Movies . Archived from the original on September 22, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Kit, Borys (August 2, 2013). "'Max Steel' Back in Action at Dolphin Entertainment". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
  8. 1 2 Welch, Alex (October 14, 2016). "Max Steel Review — A meandering and lifeless superhero origin story". IGN . Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Leydon, Joe (October 14, 2016). "Film Review: 'Max Steel'". Variety. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Lemire, Christy (October 14, 2016). "Max Steel Movie Review". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Scheck, Frank (October 14, 2016). "'Max Steel': Film Review — This teenage superhero movie recounts the origin tale of the character based on the Mattel action figure". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  12. ↑ Graser, Marc (July 12, 2009). "Paramount toys with 'Max Steel' pic". variety.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
  13. ↑ Finke, Nikki (December 4, 2009). "Taylor Lautner To Be Paramount's Next Big Action Star". Deadline . Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
  14. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (January 28, 2013). "Mattel Rebooting 'Max Steel' Property With New Animated TV Series". Deadline . Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
  15. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (February 5, 2014). "Ben Winchell, Ana Villafane Join 'Max Steel'". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Andy Garcia Joins 'Max Steel'". Deadline Hollywood . April 29, 2014. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  17. 1 2 Sneider, Jeff (May 13, 2014). "Maria Bello Joins Andy Garcia in Young Superhero Movie 'Max Steel'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  18. ↑ Kroll, Justin (May 20, 2014). "'Jersey Boys' Actor Joins Open Road's 'Max Steel'". Variety . Archived from the original on May 26, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  19. ↑ Christine (April 22, 2014). "'Max Steel' begins filming in Wilmington, NC". On Location Vacations . Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Ben Affleck's 'The Accountant' is expected to unseat 'Girl On the Train' in slow box office weekend". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  21. ↑ "'The Accountant' Calculates $27.7M Opening; 'Max Steel' Rusts". Deadline Hollywood .
  22. ↑ Anthony D'Alessandro (October 23, 2016). "'Madea' To Push Well Past $27M As 'Jack Reacher' Takes $22M to $23M; 'Joneses' Can't Keep Up – Sun. AM Update". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Max Steel (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2021. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  24. ↑ "Max Steel reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Cinemascore". Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Max Steel DVD and Blu Ray release dates". DVDReleaseDates.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.