Tubi Thursday: Steel (1997)

 Let's start Black History Month off right with the THIRD Black-led Superhero Film (not counting this).

An Army Scientist (Shaquille O'Neal)- pause for laughs- develops new weapons.

However, his comrade (Judd Nelson) abuses them, getting a Senator killed and crippling his friend (Anabeth Gish).

He gets Judd kicked out of the Army.

...but he quits too.

He won't be making any more weapons.

He's going to go somewhere safe- 1990s Los Angeles!

He finds a new purpose with his family, including 'Uncle Joe' (Richard Roundtree).

Nothing could go wrong...

...until Nelson starts making more weapons, conveniently in the same City.

Would we have a Film if he had moved to Florida and did this?

Alongside Sparks (who was inspired by then-recent Character Oracle), they make gear to stop the new weapons.

So, he becomes Steel and tries to stop the bad guys.

Can his definitely-not-rubber suit stop them and save his City?

An evil Judd Nelson?  I don't like his odds.

To find out, stream this (possible) Cult Classic now.

I was going into this one expecting to feel vindicated in mocking it for years.

That said, it's...alright.

I can see what Kenneth Johnson (the Writer and Director) was going for.  They grounded the Character by removing the whole Superman aspect and basing it around a more normal guy.

Mind you, it is 7 foot tall Shaq playing a Scientist/Steel Worker.  There's only so much you can do.

Speaking of Shaq, while he rightly didn't win any Acting awards for this, I have to respect his hustle.  He had to learn the Script and take Acting Lessons between playing in the 1996 Olympics and training for the next Season for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Could you do that?

The Film's biggest downside is that there are many 'stock' elements about it, from the Setting to the Score to the Character Arcs.  Someone cared about developing the idea of the Film, how different it should be from Superman Films and then...well, someone else filled in the rest.

The Film was not a hit in 1997 (grossing less than Batman & Robin- which should not be your bar).  In 2024, I can say that...it tried.

I don't love it...but I'm not going to hate it on either.

And now, to Ebay...

An honestly decent Film.  They take a different, more grounded approach to this and it kind of works as its own thing.