Super 8
Starring: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Noah Emmerich
Director: J.J. Abrams
Rating: 5/5
To say that alien movies have been popular with movie studios over the past twelve months would be a little bit of an understatement! But where others have disappointed Super 8 hits all the right notes and is one of the movies of the summer.
J.J Abrams is a filmmaker who knows how to get the world excited about the movies that he is making, keeping the project wrapped up extra tight before releasing bits and pieces without really giving anything away.
The run up to Super 8 was not different and, once again, the director has delivered on the early promise of those early released trailers.
In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident.
Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.
The alien movie really does seem to be Abrams’ forte as he once again delivers another well crafted and suspension filled movie without it ever going over the top or straying into farce/.
I can’t heap praise on this movie enough there is not a single bum element as cast, director, script and special effects all come together to create one of the best movies of 2011 so far.
The young cast are nothing short of superb - Joel Courtney is a very engaging lead character as he struggles to cope with the death of his mother.
Riley Griggiths, Ryan Lee, Gabriel, Zach Mills, Elle Fanning and Courtney all gel well together as the friends and young filmmakers.
The script is superb as it blends a whole host of genres such as coming of age like the The Goonies as well as alien classic E.T but still feeling like it’s something fresh and new - it feels very Spielberg.
And Abrams adopts a very Spielberg idea that children are more tolerant and accepting then adults, this is demonstrated in a great scene between Joe and the alien - just like Elliot accepted his new alien friend in E.T.
There is something very old fashioned about the way this movie was shot, through in some excellent action sequences; the train crash being absolutely superb, and you have a movie that is a mix of everything.
While it is an alien action movie human relationships are at the very heart at this movie the relationship between Jackson and Joe Lamb being the most important.
Both father and son are struggling with the loss of a mother and wife; Jackson struggles to connect with and understand his son while Joe feels he plays second fiddle to his father’s job.
This film is also about young love, first love, friendship, family, grief and growing up all set to a very exciting backdrop of fighting an alien.
Super 8 is J.J. Abrams’ best movie to date as his speedy direction has delivered a film that is never for a second dull. The only downside is the ending is not nearly as tense and exciting as the first hour.
All in all Super 8 is an excellent piece of cinema that you really should see as it’s an alien blockbuster and yet a small character driven piece all at the same time.
Well worth a watch!! I defy you to not get swept away in the story, characters, humour and nostalgia.
Super 8 is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw