With superheroes flying onto the screen from all directions, why should one go and watch Max Steel? That’s the million-dollar question one should think about before going to the theatre as Max isn’t that special or out of this world. Yes, he is not just a superhero but a normal person like all of us who turns into a superhero once he comes in contact with an alien companion named Steel. But is that enough? No, it’s not.

This story has been told before on many occasions, most recently in Iron Man, Spider Man (it was a radioactive spider kind of alien) and other flicks. The character is based on a Mattel toy that was first made into an animated series; in its first live-action adaptation, Max McGrath (Ben Winchell) is introduced as a teenager who keeps changing base before he finally settles into his family home.

A chance meeting with a comedic alien parasite grants him superpowers (harnessing electromagnetic energy) and he decides to find out how his father died, after he learns of inconsistencies in his death.

The only good thing about the movie is the ‘out of this world’ Steel (voiced by Josh Brener) who makes you laugh with his mindless one liners that range from disrespecting the cloth basket to killing Max’s only friend Sofia (Ana Villafañe). Max is highly unimpressive as the poor version of Peter Parker; he seems so old school that you don’t wish to root for him even when he is winning. The fight between good and evil also takes place in this venture and it has been handled well, but when you know how the story is going to end, it does kill the suspense.

Max Steel should have been released a decade back when such films were first appearing on screen; when superhero movies were gold no matter how bad they were. It’s not even in 3D, which would have added substance to the visuals that seem like standard Hollywood material. No one is interested in an origin story that doesn’t have the spark and one shouldn’t be surprised if there is no sequel.

Rated PG-13 for some sci-fi action violence

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 19th, 2016