Super 8

Super 8 (Rated PG-13)

Starring Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler

Directed by JJ Abrams

Plot: In 1979, a group of friends filming a Super 8 horror film witness a train crash.  Soon after, the Air Force swoops in and starts to clean up while keeping everyone away.  When mysterious things start happening in their town, they decide to find out what the crash has to do with them.

Let me just say that movies like this is why I love movies.  Produced by Steven Spielberg and written and directed by JJ Abrams, the only thing that could have made his movie more of a fanboy's wet dream was it had been co-written by Joss Whedon.


Super 8 isn't perfect, but damn near 75% of it is.  The first three quarters of the movie is as good as it gets, invoking the feeling of Stand By Me meets The Goonies.  Set in 1979, a nerdy group of friends is putting together a homemade zombie movie.  The director has recruited the beautiful Alice Dainard (Fanning), daughter of the local troublemaker, to play the wife.  After sneaking out late one night to film at the train station, the kids witness a trainwreck and capture something odd on film.  They set out to complete the movie and try to figure out what is going on in their town when odd things start to happen.

The last fourth of the movie goes off the rails a little bit as we learn the cause of the mystery.  While it's a touch anticlimactic, the real problem for me was the holes the plot left and never bothered to explain.  I'll forgive it its problems though, because it's been a long time since I haven't had the trailer completely ruin a movie for me and because of its amazing start.

Young Elle Fanning is giving big sister Dakota a run for her money in the acting department.  She's developed quite the little resume already, and this could be her star-making turn.  As Alice, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, she has a beauty and an innocence that hides her struggles at home.  Cast in the movie because the director Charlie (newcomer Riley Griffiths) has a crush on her, she displays an acting level far beyond her peers.

The rest of the young cast is almost all new to the screen.  Joel Courtney and Griffiths list this as their first (and only) credit on imdb.com.  Both have huge potential, and I think we'll be seeing more of them in the future.  I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention Kyle Chandler, who does a nice job as the dad of the lead boy and a sheriff's deputy is out of his comfort zone.  He's a favorite of my wife after Friday Night Lights, and I'd hear no end of it if I didn't mention him.

Abrams does a fine job directing; the movie evokes wonderful feelings of nostalgia as a child who grew up in that era.  I also identified with the main character (Courtney) who's dad doesn't understand his lack of interest in sports and fascination with movies.  As I mentioned above, the only problem lies with Abram's script.  After being so perfect, the ending seems rushed and makes little sense.  It's one I may have to see again to see if I missed something.  I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone, so I won't go into details, but the resolution has gaping holes that distract from the entire film.

Ultimately, I recommend the movie, just go in with lower expectations than I had.

*****
Dad Suitability - If Dad is fanboy at all, he'll want to catch this film by fanboy legend, JJ Abrams.  It has one of the greatest train wreck scenes I've ever seen filmed, and it is sure to bring back memories of a simpler era.

Kid Suitability - Rated PG-13 for some language and intense scenes, I wouldn't have had any problem letting my almost nine-year-old watch the movie if he'd had any interest in it.