Rated PG-13
Cast: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Gabriel Basso, Noah Emmerich, Ron Eldard
Director: J.J. Abrams
In keeping up with increasingly violent times, however, the danger stakes are considerably higher this time around. Remember the bicycle chase in "ET?" The danger culminated with a close-up of young Elliott's face, followed by a solitary image of a police shotgun being raised (not aimed, mind you... just raised) as the police form a barricade and wave the boys to stop. Now compare that to what the kids in "Super 8" face... a train derailment that reduces virtually everything to dust, unexplained attacks and disappearing townfolk, firefights that end with bodies being literally ripped to pieces, and a military takeover of a small Ohio town replete with the heaviest artillery that results in the whistle-stop being reduced to rubble. This isn't martial law; it's a topographical rearrangement.
The story opens on a somber note. A steel mill accident has claimed the life of a young wife and mother. She leaves behind a grieving husband (Kyle Chandler) who serves as the deputy in the small town of Lillian, Ohio. His son, Joe (Joel Courtney) is crestfallen, but finds some degree of solace in the company of his filmmaking friends who are shooting a zombie short to be entered in the local festival. Joe assists with makeup and sound, mainly to get closer to the short's lead actress, the unassumingly attractive Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning), whose no-nonsense demeanor masks a sea of pain bred from a strained relationship with an alcoholic father (Ron Eldard).
While shooting a scene at a railroad depot, a military locomotive rockets past, is met by a pickup truck that has positioned itself on the track, leading to the derailment. The boys' film camera was left running as they scampered away, and may have caught a glimpse of the train's mysterious cargo. Commander Nelec (Noah Emmerich) spares no effort to recapture said cargo, going so far as to set the town ablaze to force an evacuation. The kids conjure up a plan to re-enter the town when one of their own has been taken. In a refreshing twist, they break into the school to acquire information on what the "thing" might be, as opposed to merely arming themselves with whatever weapons are within reach.
The actors embody their roles well. Especially the kids, who have to navigate some pretty tricky emotional waters. Elle Fanning is the standout. She has a nice moment in a scene where her character and Joe view old footage of Joe's mom. Her face conveys a multi-layered angst. Not only for Joe's loss, but for her own absent mother and despondent father.
Director J.J. Abrams possesses distinct skill, but I don't really consider him elite. The difference between Abrams and Spielberg is that the latter made movies the way a parent might read a bedtime story to a child, striving to fire up the imagination. Abrams does capture a lot of the nostalgia of the time, but can also come off more like a technician who wants to impress you with the scale of his work. The special effects in the derailment scene are incredible. Almost too incredible. For a brief moment, it took me out of the story. But Abrams, to his credit, does get back on track and handles the film's quieter moments with every bit as much skill as those involving massive effect. (Abrams does have a knack for visual imagery, including a special effects shot with a locket near the end that is actually quite touching.)
The movie works more for its nostalgia than its science fiction plotting. The reveal is... eh, so-so. Not quite as original as the ads would have you believe. In strict science fiction terms, the movie is a bit closer to Abrams' "Cloverfield" than to any of the joyous innocence of 80s fantasy. Still, it does recall the time period well, is devoid of pessimism, and while the action and effects do elbow into the narrative a little too much at times for my liking, the movie ends, quite surprisingly, not with explosions, but with emotion. Oh, and stick around during the end credits. The kids' zombie short is displayed in its full glory. It's worth it.
* * * out of * * * * stars
