I’m not even sure where to begin with Super 8. I don’t want to tell you too much about the story of this film since knowing next to nothing about it was what helped make it so magical. All you need to know about the film is what you saw in the trailer. It’s about some kids making a zombie movie on Super 8mm film. There’s a train wreck and something gets let loose. That’s what you need to know.
Knowing too much about this movie will not help you in any way. It is good and the images in the trailer are enough.
JJ Abrams knocked this out of the park. Steven Spielberg is one of my favorite filmmakers and aside from Abrams’ signature use of lens flares and the lack of John Williams music it would be indiscernable from an actual Spielberg picture. But not today’s Spielberg. This was the self-assured director of the early eighties. Super 8 is equal parts Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial and I couldn’t have been more happy about that.
Everything about this film worked. The kids were perfect. The acting was top notch. The script was efficient and well-conceived. The special effects were fantastic. The mood and energy were kinetic, keeping you well entertained. It captured the spirit of those 80s Spielberg pictures so well that I hope this causes a resurgence of them.
The two main kids, though, are incredible. Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney are two of the most believable kids on screen I’ve seen in a long time. And above that, Elle Fanning is incredible in this movie. She’s mesmerizing in a way I don’t understand. She’s only 13 years old and, like her older sister, has a command of the screen I just don’t comprehend.
Add to that a story that stokes so much nostalgia for my childhood, the movies of my youth, and great cinema and you have something that’s truly special.
I can’t communicate how thoroughly I enjoyed this movie. In fact, my only complaint is that John Williams didn’t do the score. The score that was in the movie was adequate, I suppose, but it was slightly distracting toward the end of the movie and you could almost imagine the heights Williams would have taken it. I love Michael Giacchino and to be honest I was pretty surprised to see that he did the score. There was just something about it that left me wanting. But I fully admit that this is too nit-picky.
I was very happy with this film and it was a perfect summer blockbuster. It was original, had plenty of heart, and was incredibly well made. We need more like this one, please. This had no big name actors in it but is going to make tons of money at the box-office, proving that original stories well told trump big name stars and gimmicks.
This film ups the ante on the Summer of 2011. As long as Captain America is as good as we’re all hoping and Green Lantern doesn’t suck, this might go down in history as one of the best summer movie seasons in a long, long time.