Today’s quick review: Max Steel. Years after an accident claimed the life of his father, teenager Max McGrath (Ben Winchell) moves back to his hometown with his mother Molly (Maria Bello). There Max discovers that he has energy powers and teams up with Steel (Josh Brener), a symbiotic alien, to control them. But to learn the truth about his powers, he’ll have to uncover the secrets kept by his father’s business partner, Miles Edwards (Andy Garcia).
Max Steel is a teen sci-fi action adventure about a boy who partners with a high-tech alien to unlock incredible powers. Max is a perfectly average teen save for his mysterious past and his developing powers, while Steel functions as comic relief, a friend for Max, and a hook to further the plot. Max Steel follows the tested formula of boy and alien, but its generic story, weak action, and middling execution keep it from having much impact.
Max Steel never goes far beyond its core premise. With the exception of Max’s love interest Sofia (Ana Villafane), every character and plot point focuses on the mystery surrounding Max’s father. There are no subplots to fall back on, and the setting is no larger than the single story being told. Max Steel’s tunnel vision does help to keep it on track, but it also makes the movie brittle. It lives and dies with its plot and main characters.
Unfortunately, neither its plot nor its characters are as strong as the film needs them to be. Ben Winchell makes for an indifferent lead without much personality of his own. Josh Brener has good comedic timing and some cute lines to work with, but his antics are too predictable to be very amusing. The plot beats are shared by any number of other movies, and Max has only a handful of occasions to use his powers, making the action a moot point.
The end result is a bare-bones entry into the teen sci-fi genre that’s outclassed by films that invest more in their characters, settings, and stories. Max Steel avoids the major mistakes that would undermine its formula completely, but it never manages to distinguish itself either. The movie holds some value for sticking to its plot and having halfway decent speciale effects, but most viewers would be better off looking elsewhere.
For an adaptation of a kids’ franchise with more meat on its bones, try Power Rangers or G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. For a kid-friendly adventure that follows a similar formula, try A.X.L., I Am Number Four, TRON: Legacy, or Pokemon Detective Pikachu. For a darker, funnier, and more action-packed take on a similar premise, try Venom.
4.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for a story that’s competent but unexciting.