SUPER 8: Throwback Thrills
Curious about the new sci-fi adventure from J.J. Abrams that everyone is comparing to Steven Spielberg’s late-’70s classics (yes, it’s even set in that era)? Read these Reel Answers to see if this new flick is for you.
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What is Super 8 about?
Surprisingly in this season of superheroes, Super 8 does not refer to yet another octet of Marvel action figures. Rather it’s the tale of a group of small-town youngsters who, while sneaking out one night to make a homemade Super 8 movie about zombies, witness a horrific train crash (one of the best sequences of the movie). After the crash all sorts of crazy stuff starts happening, including the descent of grim-faced U.S. Air Force commandos on the town. Why are they there and what are they trying to contain? I’m not giving away too much to tell you that there was very strange, dangerous cargo on that train.
Who is the creative team behind the movie?
J.J. Abrams (the director of Lost, Alias, Morning Glory, and the most recent Star Trek blockbuster) wrote and directed the movie. He is obviously a huge genre movie fan (the main genres being sentimental coming-of-age and monster films), and even more a huge fan of Stephen Spielberg, who as one of the producers of Super 8 is a key inspiration behind it. (Abrams even foists upon us an overbearing John Williamesque full-orchestra soundtrack à la Spielberg.) J.J. Abrams brings his patented ability to stretch suspense out to unbearable levels and scare the @#$! out of you without ever getting too gory, which is a nice change of pace from a lot of today’s scary films.
Who stars in the movie?
Five young teenagers are at the heart of the movie—four unknown boys and a slightly better known young actress, Elle Fanning (sister of Dakota). There are a host of adult characters who have their uses (as either flawed parental figures or sources of comic relief) but none are special stand-outs. The lead boy, discovery Joel Courtney, plays a wounded-but-cute, curious kid very well which helps carry the movie. The rest of the kids are fine, even as they are put through their stock character paces (a lot of yelling and wisecracks).
What would you compare this movie to?
How about Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Goonies, E.T., War of the Worlds, Poltergeist, Gremlins, Stand by Me, Cloverfield, and Jaws, with a little District 9 thrown in? And there’s probably many more references that I missed. It’s up to you whether you find all those nods a wonderful sci-fi homage or a bit too derivative and familiar to be interesting.
Why should I see Super 8?
If you are a 13-year-old kid or will be accompanying a 13-year-old (and note that this film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and some drug use), this movie is a no-brainer. For older audience members, if you’re in the mood for a nostalgic journey back to the popcorn action-adventures of 30 years ago, with innocent-but-smart-mouthed kids and misunderstood aliens, then this might be for you. Super 8 is a full-throttled dose of entertainment that harkens back to Spielberg’s classics—albeit with less heart and originality but a lot better CGI effects.
Why should I stay away?
Not into movies where kids are the heroes, the adults are mean or clueless, and utter mayhem and destruction take over the movie screen? Then this probably isn’t for you.
Could this be just as enjoyable on a home screen?
There are so many nighttime scenes and spectacular shots of things blowing up (with all the attendant earth-shattering sound effects) that this is one that’s probably best seen on the big screen—and yes, I mean IMAX.
Anything more I should know about Super 8?
Make sure to hang around for the cute surprise during the closing credits.
My Reel Answers column aims to boil down film reviewing to its essence: answering questions (without divulging key plot points) you might have about a popular movie before plunking down your hard-earned money to see it.
Please visit http://reelanswers.net to see past movies and DVDs I’ve reviewed, and let me know what questions you have about upcoming movies that I can answer. —Laura E. Kelly
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.