Action Shaq vs. the Bad Guys in ‘Steel’

Would it surprise you to learn that a recurring motif in “Steel� involves Shaquille O’Neal trying--and initially failing--to throw things into baskets? Would it surprise you to learn that “Steel� has a recurring motif at all?

There’s a funny, entertaining, good vs. evil movie built around O’Neal--lots of plot and strong support from “Suddenly Susan� boss Judd Nelson, Richard Roundtree, Annabeth Gish and the city of Los Angeles, home of Shaq’s day job with the Lakers.

Based very loosely on the DC Comic metal-covered character, “Steel� leads quickly and seamlessly through its story to the final confrontation between the very good John Henry Irons (O’Neal) backed by his computer whiz Army buddy Sparks (Gish) and the very bad Nathaniel Burke (Nelson), who is drummed out of the Army after a stunt that puts Sparks in a wheelchair and who now wants to sell to the highest bidders the Sonic Eliminator weapon they all developed. The test marketeers are a street gang--rats as the exceedingly nasty Burke calls them.

Before you can say “Holy Batplot,� Irons has abducted Sparks from a St. Louis VA hospital, the good guys have set up a massive computer and counter-weapons operation buried in the work pile of junkyard artiste Uncle Joe (Roundtree) and our hero has fashioned a funky metal suit that turns him into a 7-foot-2 robocop with a winning smile and ready to fight crime.

Gangs are props in “Steel�; a subplot involving Irons’ little brother Martin (Ray J) flashes a glossary full of street language but little meat. Los Angeles, mostly by night, plays the role of beleaguered city--a chopper-filled skyline, a free-fire zone in Pershing Square and a mostly befuddled LAPD.

Writer-director Kenneth Johnson could have dropped a couple of unnecessary scenes and backed down on the soundtrack attack, but there’s a confident hand at the helm when Roundtree can make a “Shaft� joke and O’Neal can use Arnold Schwarzenegger’s voice in a phone call.

And give Shaq a little slack. The tall fellow doesn’t hide behind the suit, the computer gadgetry or a very impressive hammer-shaped weapon (John Henry was a steel-driving man, after all). While his range of emotions goes from real cute to real mad without stopping often enough in between--wisely, the camera avoids close-ups and cuts off his head in some shots--he knows the difference between a movie and a public appearance.

In the end, he gets the girl, even if he doesn’t quite kiss her.

* MPAA rating: PG-13, for some superhero action violence. Times guidelines: Relatively bloodless action, but the body count is high for the youngest viewers.

‘Steel’

Shaquille O’Neal: John Henry Irons

Annabeth Gish: Lt. Sparks

Richard Roundtree: Uncle Joe

Judd Nelson: Nathaniel Burke

Warner Bros. presents a Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment Production of a Kenneth Johnson film. Writer and director Kenneth Johnson. Producers Quincy Jones, David Salzman, Joel Simon. Based on characters from DC Comics. Executive producers Shaquille O’Neal, Leonard Armato, Bruce Binkow. Photography Mark Irwin. Production design Gary Wissner. Editor John F. Link. Co-producer Mark Allan. Music Mervyn Warren. Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes.

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* In general release throughout Southern California.