History Film / Steel

* TrashLanding: After leaping off buidlings to get away from the targeting police, Steel falls off and into a dumpster (the same one that he had stored his bike).

* ChekhovsGun: Steel's super magnet that attracts all metal objects, including his own hammer.

* TokenEvilTeammate: Burke, back on the army (he puts the experimental weapons to their full UpToEleven power level, creating the devastation that cripples Sparky, because he wanted to see what that level could do (bear in mind "low power" could ''fuck up an Abrams tank in one shot'') and to demonstrate to the Joint Chiefs the viability of said weapons, even when John Henry explicitly told him that the weapons had not been tested at that level) and when he becomes a criminal mastermind he is a serious case of NoHonorAmongThieves.

* StupidEvil: Burke [[BookEnds twice]] disobeys a warning from John Henry to not toy around with the settings of a weapon he designed [[WhatDoesThisButtonDo out of curiosity]] and twice it bites him in the ass.

* HandicappedBadass: Sparky. She delivers quite the SuperweaponSurprise with her SuperWheelchair on the final battle, making herself a DamselOutOfDistress.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Burke is killed by his own laser when it is deflected off of Steel's armor.

* ChekhovsGun: Steel's super magnet.

* BatmanGambit: Steel pulls one on Burke in the end, by telling him not the turn the hammer's red switch, using his vice against him.

''Steel'' was released months after ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', and would be the the last DC Comics-based film released by Creator/WarnerBrothers until the equally-disliked ''Film/Catwoman2004'' in 2004.

-->'''Big Willy''': "Only I"? You mean "only ''us''"!

** When Steel gets away after stopping some criminals, a cop asks where he went. His partner quips, "To the [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Batcave]]?"
** Also the unintentional MythologyGag of Shaq's Superman tattoo.

* BeserkButton: Slats was not happy when Burke made him eat a pork hot dog.

* BatmanGambit: Steel pulls one on Burke in the end by using his vice against him.

* CrisisMakesPerfect: A RunningGag is John Henry being utterly atrocious with free throws, which means that he's nervous at the climax when he has to throw a hand grenade away from him and Martin through a small hole in a fence -- there is no other option, the room they are in is very small and there's no cover. Martin tells John Henry a couple of tips to perform a good free throw and, sure enough, he pulls it off.

-->'''Slats''': "Only I"? You mean "only ''us''"!
-->''([[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Burke nonchalantly shoots Slats in the chest]] [[OffhandBackhand without even turning to look at him]])''

''Steel'' is a 1997 film based on the Creator/DCComics [[ComicBook/{{Steel}} character of that name]], starring Shaquille O'Neal as John Henry Irons, who along with partner Susan "Sparky" Sparx (Creator/AnnabethGish) designs weapons for the military. However, when Nathaniel Burke (Creator/JuddNelson), during a demonstration, tries out the gun on the highest setting, it causes the building they're stationed in to collapse around them. This results in Sparky getting injured, leaving her as a paraplegic, which causes Irons to retire in disgust.

''Steel'' is a 1997 film based on the Creator/DCComics [[ComicBook/{{Steel}} character of that name]], starring Shaquille O'Neal as John Henry Irons, who along with partner Susan "Sparky" Sparx (Annabeth Gish) designs weapons for the military. However, when Nathaniel Burke (Creator/JuddNelson), during a demonstration, tries out the gun on the highest setting, it causes the building they're stationed in to collapse around them. This results in Sparky getting injured, leaving her as a paraplegic, which causes Irons to retire in disgust.

* RayGun: The weapons developed by Johnny and stolen by Burke appear to be able to switch between FrickinLaserBeams and concussion blast.

''Steel'' was released months after ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', and would be the the last DC Comics-based film released by Creator/WarnerBrothers until the equally-disliked ''Film/{{Catwoman}}'' in 2004.

* ArtisticLicenseMilitary: Burke directly causing the death of a US Senator and crippling a fellow officer by unsafely operating an experimental weapon with the creator as a direct witness would seen him in prison, not merely dismissed from the military.

''Steel'' was released months after ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', and would be the the last DC Comics-based film released by Creator/WarnerBrothers until ''Film/{{Catwoman}}'' in 2004.

After being dismissed for causing the incident, Burke goes to Big Willie Daniels to recruit him to sell Irons' weapons to gangs. However, when Irons witnesses a bank robbery organized by gang members wielding modified guns based on his design, he begins to investigate, including confronting the gang members at their own hangout. Irons visits Sparky in a veteran's hospital and takes her to his own assembled labratory, where he hopes they can create weapons needed to combat the criminals. With the help of Uncle Joe (Creator/RichardRoundtree), they forge a suit of armor and the weaponry necessary for Irons to carry out his war on crime and become the vigilante "Steel". However, Irons is soon pursued by the cops, who believe him to be connected to the weapons and robberies.

''Steel'' is a 1997 film based on the Creator/DCComics [[ComicBook/{{Steel}} character of that name]], starring Shaquille O'Neal as John Henry Irons, who along with partner Susan "Sparky" Sparx designs weapons for the military. However, when Nathaniel Burke (Creator/JuddNelson), during a demonstration, tries out the gun on the highest setting, it causes the building they're stationed in to collapse around them. This results in Sparky getting injured, leaving her as a paraplegic, which causes Irons to retire in disgust.

%%* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Martin.
* ArtisticLicenseGunSafety: Or rather, explosives in this case; grenades do ''NOT'' take that long to explode.

* AdaptedOut: John Henry Irons was originally introduced in ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman''. Franchise/{{Superman}} and related characters do not appear in the movie.

--->'''Uncle Joe''': You'd be surprised what kind of things can be found 'round here that "fell off the back of a truck" (hands her some paper and a pen for her to make a list).

* "I especially love the Film/{{shaft}}!"

* AdaptedOut: John Henry Irons was originally introduced in the Comicbook/TheDeathOfSuperman storyline. Superman and related characters do not appear in the movie.