After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.
Super 8 is not the monster fueled mystery film its marketing seemed to force down upon us. Is there a monster? Yes, but there was simply not enough time spent on “it” once the revelation occurred for the audience to be satisfied; It seemed just content to leave you with only bits on information about it that match the films theme of letting go so you can move forward. In contrast, because they didn’t spend very much time on the monster, the characters themselves were allowed to thrive in the spotlight. We watched as they went on an adventure to help themselves find what they were looking for in a time when they needed it most.
Having just one child actor star in your film can be a disaster waiting to happen, but imagine what could happen with six of them. Abrams though managed to pull the unbelievable and found some hidden gems to stand in front of the camera. They are shared some great chemistry and when by themselves managed to naturally act like children rather than being forced into awkward situations and dialogue. The cast of misfits seemed to be ripped right from the screens from similar films such as The Goonies and Stand by Me. Leading the impressive ensemble cast is the up and comer Elle Fanning playing Alice and the completely unknown Joel Courtney playing Joe. These two are thrown at each other for most of the movie and succeed at creating a meaningful relationship that never comes across as fake or forced. Fanning in particular, turns in a performance that tops anything her much more popular sister has done (Dakota if you’re wondering).
The downside of focusing so much attention onto the child characters is that only one adult has a substantial role in the film, played by the always wonderful Coach Taylor……I mean Kyle Chandler, seems to become quickly forgotten about within the story and never gets a chance to develop. It is a shame because he demands the audience full attention in scenes of him simply talking with his boy, imagine what would happen if he was given more time.
Super 8 is a film that we will all come to appreciate even if you don’t necessarily enjoy it. Its themes of letting go so you can move forward is one that will live on forever, and even if the monster aspect of the film is a letdown, that theme was handled incredibly well. This film will be hard to dislike and easy to recommend. So enjoy.
Overall Score: 8/10
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