Super 8 might be the very definition of a summer blockbuster. It is the story of a group of kids, fresh into summer vacation, who begin their adventure by making a movie and then descend into a world of mystery as the hunt for a strange monster begins. It is a bit of a passion project from filmmaker J.J. Abrams, who has worked along side Steven Spielberg to create a homage to some of Spielberg's most classic movies, while also making a simply awesome film.
Taking place in the town of Lillian, Ohio in 1979, Super 8 follows 12 year-old Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney), a boy who is still mourning the loss of his mother who died horribly months prior. His relationship with his father, Sheriff's Deputy Jack Lamb (Kyle Chandler), is estranged, to say the least. As previously mentioned, the story kicks off while Joe is helping his best friend, Charles (Riley Griffiths), shoot a home made zombie movie. With a super 8 camera and a gang of friends in tow, Joe witnesses a destructive train crash while shooting a scene at night. Something breaks out of one of the train cars and disappears into the night. After an ominous warning from the man who caused the crash (Glynn Turman), the mysterious arrival of secretive military forces, and various reports of people, animals, and random objects disappearing all over, Joe and his friends realize things are not looking well for their simple little town.
And I won't spoil what it is that pops out of the train car, since some people haven't managed to put it together. I guess not everyone watched E.T. as a kid, because that's the feel I got from this movie. It has elements of other Spielberg classics as well, such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Goonies, but E.T. was a bit of a composite of both of those films. I won't say the movie was totally original, because it was NOT totally original. It did feel like a J.J. Abrams movie, but with the remembrance and love of the Steven Spielberg movies a lot of us grew up with.
I will tell you only one thing about the 'something': apparently his name is Cooper.
Abrams is a good director. His films are well shot, well acted, and well written. He's one of those very talented filmmakers who can find a balance between a fun action movie and an emotional story with characters you can care about. There can be whimsy and tragedy within the depth of his work, so important elements are not disregarded too often. He's found a lot of praise because of his work in spearheading some of America's most popular shows like Alias, Lost, or Fringe in recent years. Super 8 is only his third movie, and so far it is probably his best.
The special effects are apparent but well done. Cooper is not the most impressive CGI creation I've seen, but he was still interesting to look at and makes some pretty ungodly sounds. The train crash sequence was brilliant, a sort neverending catastrophe that brought to mind the opening plane crash scene of Lost (an episode Abrams wrote and directed). Probably the best moment with the effects is the end sequence, which we've seen before in many other movies like this, but it was still cool and a little bit mesmerizing.
The music was by Michael Giacchino, whose beautiful and haunting compositions were one of Lost's trademarks for years. They also won him an Academy Award for his work on Up. Here he finds that tone again, the kinds that bring peace to the mind in calmer moments while creating a disorienting and horrific atmosphere in danger sequences.
I didn't live in the late '70s or early '80s so I'm not sure if they got everything right. Judging from my dad's reactions watching the movie, I'd say the film had plenty of the details of every day life back then accurate. An older character in the movie has a funny reaction to a teenager's walkman: (paraphrasing) "That's just what we need, everyone walking around with stereos." Oh the irony.
What I was most impressed with was the child actors in the movie. I mean, normally, I hate most movie kids. A lot of times they come off as annoying or awkwardly cutesy. These kids are good, and they're believable. Joel Courtney as Joe finds a lot of the charm of an innocent youth, trying to look for the good in the world and standing up for himself and others. Hope he gets more roles and increases his range. Probably the most impressive among them was Elle Fanning as Alice Dainard, a new addition to the film crew and object of Joe's affection. Fanning shows incredible acting ability in this film; if she was in older sister, Dakota's shadow before, she isn't now. Alice is the oldest among the kids. She has a troubled home life and finds comfort in a friendship with Joe. There is conflict in that relationship that is meant to be kept secret but is pretty clear from the get go. Equally impressive are Riley Griffiths as Charles, the ambitious ringleader and aspiring filmmaker. Charles reminded me of Ed Wood with his film zeal, maybe even Orson Welles. The other kids in this gang of unlikely heroes are the over anxious Martin (Gabriel Basso), sarcastic nerd Preston (Zach Mills), and hilarious pyromaniac Carey (Ryan Lee). All of them are awesome characters for this movie, and played better than I ever would have expected.
The adult actors bring it just as well, though they aren't as involved. Kyle Chandler, star of the series Friday Night Lights, is a bit of a standard movie dad. The kind that is too angry, who tries to remain stoic, who cares but doesn't know how to show it. Chandler is a good actor so he plays this role well. A man who makes do by not mentioning what should be mentioned and trying to connect with his son in all the wrong ways. A character like this must have a redemption, and whenever it happens in movies I'm almost never disappointed. Nor was I here. Ron Eldard's character of Louis, Alice's father, was a bit standard too, but played well equally. This man haunted by his demons, hard drinking being his only seeming salvation, letting anger he feels for himself lash out at other people. Both fathers could have had more development, but I felt for both still because of how well they were portrayed in just a few scenes. Noah Emmerich plays shady Col. Nelec, the military man seizing control of the town and hunting whatever got loose. Emmerich always looks like such a nice guy, but he very often plays corrupt or troubled characters. And he does it good. So acting, once again, I'm very cool with.
I highly recommend this movie. It is a very good time. Super 8 is not as original as much as it is refreshing. It has been awhile since I've been so taken with a movie. One of those movies where likable, relatable kids are at the center as the heroes, seeking out adventures under the noses of worried parents. A movie where revelations about the self and about life are found in the search for answers to mysterious, dangerous questions. Where family is shown true as a factor that can be as strong as it can be fragile. Where something different is more complex than what our fearful eyes would have us believe. A movie that feels kind of like an exciting, twisting roller coaster and also tugs at your heart. A damn good movie is what I call it.
This has been another review that comes a bit late from Your Modest Guru. Thanks for reading.
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