Super 8 - Movie Review

Super 8 is a science fiction story with children as the central characters. Written and directed by JJ Abrams, I recall my excitement at watching the trailers for this film when it first arrived in theaters.

Super 8 opens with a gentle introduction to our characters. A sign inside an Ohio steel mill boasts over 700 days accident free. We first realize there is a problem as a worker takes down the numbers on the sign and changes it to read "1" day since the last accident. The accident was fatal. We soon learn that this accident claimed the life of Joe Lamb's (Joel Courtney) mother. Joe is a middle school boy with a typical group of awkward friends. Charles (Riley Griffiths) is an overweight aspiring film-maker. Cary (Ryan Lee) is a pyromaniac. Martin (Gabriel Brasso) isn't very bright...and he vomits a lot. Preston (Zach Mills) sort of lingers in the background.

The youngsters were working on their own entry to Cleveland's Super 8 Film Festival. The year is 1979 (and thankfully, the soundtrack reflects the era). Joe's dad, Jackson (Kyle Chandler) is a Sheriff's Deputy. His works consumes his time, leaving him little left to give his son. As school lets out for the summer, the boys convince an attractive classmate, Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) to star in their film. The girl mesmerizes the boys with her performance. However, the filming is cut short when a truck causes a train to derail, surprisingly sparing each of the children from any harm.

As the children attempt to finish their film, the Air Force descends upon their town and strange events begin taking place. Alice and Joe begin a blossoming friendship that seems to be on the wrong track. Alice's father (Ron Eldard) is as opposed to the children's friendship as Joe's father is. The tension between the two men is apparent from the first day and we eventually learn the source of their differences. As the Summer progresses, the children use the backdrop of the increasing military presence to create "production value" for their film. The children understand the gravity of the situation and eventually end up over their heads inside the action. But what of their film project? You have to watch the closing credits to find out.

Super 8 was an intelligent, fun movie. It had some of the flavors of other young star classics like ET or Gremlins. However, this film didn't have the personality of those films. Instead of centering on a lovable creature, we are given more of the interpersonal relationships among the young actors. That worked for me. While lovable aliens makes for an easy sell, succeeding with a scary creature required strong writing. This film accomplished that through the sub-plots and heart pumping action. However, somewhere near the end of the film, things went off track. The film got bigger but not better. The action tried to compensate for the emotion, which felt stilted and forced.

I was disappointed because there was no "heart light" moment that could set this film apart for years to come. Instead, we get an almost hammy reconciliation amidst big budget special effects that almost gets lost in the clamor. This was a tougher film to create based on the nature of the supernatural elements. However, I was not moved by the more tender moments. I think I could have been had they been rendered with a lighter hand. Overall, I enjoyed the story but felt a little short-changed near the end.

In addition to a strong story that departs from the more popular lovable alien genre was an excellent backdrop. Setting this film in 1979 was brilliant. While this film will appeal to younger viewers based on the target age group, the nostalgia is sure to bring a smile to older views as well. The film features a great 70s soundtrack that includes classics from ELO, The Commodores and The Knack. The characters look like they stepped straight out of the 70s. Even the gas station had products packaged in 70s style packaging. While the Rubiks Cube is referenced a year prematurely, it didn't feel anachronistic. I guess technically, it was. Overall, the 1970s setting was an excellent backdrop for a group of young film-makers using 8mm film to create their own zombie film. I wonder if a bit of JJ Abrams was invested in these characters.

The casting in Super 8 was flawless. I loved this cast. I was only familiar with Elle Fanning, who was performance perfection. Courtney easily handled the male lead with a calm confidence. For his first film, this was an impressive debut. This was also Griffiths first film. His debut was also notable. The rest of the cast included seasoned veterans that held their own. For a feature centered around child actors, this film was superbly cast.

For parents concerned about children and nightmares, this film comes with a warning. The PG-13 rating stems from abundant violence. While there are plenty of big explosions, heart pumping action and some mild language issues, the violence is raw at times. The violence as it pertains to the core subject matter could induce nightmares. Without giving away spoilers, it is safe to say that there are graphically visual scenes with intense violence that could give younger viewers nightmares. I think eight or nine years old would be a good starting point unless you have a child that is predisposed to bad dreams.

Super 8 did not disappoint me. Although the dramatic moments were lost in the din of action (and forced), the overall story took an interesting approach to this genre. I was expecting Gremlins and got something closer to Aliens. Not quite. But the perspective was youthful, providing an interesting and fertile ground for great action. It could have been brilliant but managed to stop short. A bit more effort in the heart-strings department would have made this film memorable for years to come. Instead, this is just a solid film that will eventually be lost to the sands of time. 7.5/10.