[HEADING=1]Super 8[/HEADING]
Something I've always stuck by in regards to films and really any form of entertainment is that there is a very fine line between taking inspiration, paying homage and blatantly ripping off something. It shows true talent for someone to be able to mix a perfect amount of what they love from other films and combine it with enough of their own original ideas to make it their own. Those who have seen the trailer, or even seen a poster to Super 8 will understand exactly why I bring up this certain cinema mindset.
Taking place in the late 1970s, Super 8 opens with our young protagonist, Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his friends getting out of school for the summer and setting off to finish an 8mm zombie film for an international contest. As the director of the zombie film, Charles (Riley Griffiths) finds a perfect setting for the all important love scene near a train station to give as he says "production value," a pickup truck comes barreling down the tracks, racing towards the train causing a massive explosion which I'm not entirely convinced wasn't directed by Michael Bay. In the aftermath of the explosion, something bursts forth from one of the cars, crawling from the wreckage.
See? A big scary general always means bad news!
Obviously, something ominous is taking place but if you've so much as read really anything about the film, that is to be expected but I still won't spoil exactly what's going on. However once the military gets involved, desperately keeping everything under wraps no less, you know nothing is quite as it seems. Throughout the first half of the film, director/writer J.J. Abrams toys with audience, only giving slight clues as to what's happened. Dogs run away, entire car motors are stolen, power lines are stripped and eventually, people start disappearing as well. All of which is done with a well directed and executed style that allows for the mystery to build, which is key for a film like this.
The plot here concerning the main characters is very simple and really doesn't serve much purpose other than to give the presented characters some insight. Main character Joe mourns the loss of his mother while having a strained relationship with his depressed father (Kyle Chandler). His way of coping is by escaping into the world of films with his friends and developing a crush on the newest (and only) actress in their film, Alice (Elle Fanning). Even with that, it's all done very well. This subplot brings development and emotion to the characters making them at least somewhat relatable as the child actors are actually quite good. It may not have much point on the overall story, but one can?t deny the enjoyment of watching first timer kid actors spout well written banter to one another.
The makings for an early 80s kid's adventure movie in the same vein similar to The Goonies and, in some sense, Stand By Me are all here, especially in the first and third acts of the film. Even the characters themselves are reminiscent of those types of movies with the friends all falling into their respective type we've seen before. Everything the kids do are done in secret, of course, not for really any reason other than to make it feel more fun and adventurous. This sort of feel is combined with the classic alien films of, not only Spielberg's era but also of the B-movie scifi pictures of the 1950s as the kids and the community search for answers as to what has invaded their small town.
Oddly enough, this was one of the funnest scenes in the film
While I may be praising the acting and form of story telling here, this brings me to a problem I mentioned in the opening of this review. Now, Super 8 is not a complete rip off of really any one thing in particular. It is, however a mesh of all those previously mentioned elements put together in one film, yet with next to nothing new. This is the main flaw. It takes too much in terms of inspiration and becomes a lesser version of what it attempts to pay homage to, taking not only his visual and directorial ques from those classic Sci Fi films, but his story, acting and even musical styles as well.
Any praise I may have given to the film before can all be linked back to a classic film that did it 30 or 40+ years ago and did it better. The film relies on a nostalgia effect for those who have seen or remember the films Super 8 takes from and the hope that the younger crowd haven't heard of those aforementioned films in order to feel new and exciting. It doesn't equate to good film making when every positive aspect has been done before. This takes away any sort of originality that might have been presented here if Abrams wasn't too busy letting everyone know he's a nerdy film fan.
However, in terms of more minor flaws the film has on its own, there are several points in which things slow down in order to build a bit more upon the stories of the kids and their growing friendships. While sometimes it is interesting, the movie feels like it's torn between what it wants to be, dropping any sort of tension for the main problems at hand in favour of rather boring character development that feels all too cliche at this point. In fact, this is the main persistent problem in Super 8. If you've seen this type of movie before, you've seen this one. It all becomes too cliche by the end, building in the same way as films before it have, leaving no room for tension or mystery in a lot of ways as you know just how it will end.
I will, however admit to being entertained throughout the film. There wasn't a moment that went by, save for a few slow bits when the movie likes to stop and remind you there's a romantic plot going on as well, when I was bored. That said, the only thought running through my mind throughout the film is that Abrams must really love Steven Spielberg. The whole movie, by the end of it, felt like a two-hour love letter to someone's favourite director. It's a film that I've grown to think less of the more I think about it. For what it is, the movie is worth your time if you want to be entertained and be reminded of how great movies were way back when, however there seems to be such a divide between people who love and hate this film that I can't in really any good conscience give it a full recommendation.
This image feel familiar? It bloody well should.
Overall though, Super 8 isn't bad and if you're a fan of these types of films and these sort of complaints presented before don't bother you, you will love it. In fact, there's not much point to reviewing the film. Watch the trailer and it'll be clear if you'll enjoy this or not. But in the end, I was left feeling underwhelmed. The movie tries to present itself as a modern age science fiction film, yet the end result just feels like it might as well be a remake of Close Encounters. It could have been so much more than someone telling me for a couple hours how great Spielberg is. I already knew that. When a movie is great, I leave thinking about nothing else and with an urge to see it again. Super 8 left me feeling like I really need to go watch E.T. once more.
Movies:
Best Movies of the Decade [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.164045-Best-Films-of-the-Decade-Warning-Extremely-Long-Review] I Inception [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.215806-JK-Reviews-Inception] I Oldboy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.236848-JK-Reviews-Oldboy] I Thirst [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.238393-JK-Reviews-Thirst] I Noroi [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.258713-JK-Reviews-Noroi] I Ghost in the Shell [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.264848-Poll-JK-Reviews-Ghost-in-the-Shell?view_results=1] I Top 25 Favourite Films [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.273264-JKs-Top-25-Favourite-Films#comment_form] I Kodomo no Jikan [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.283845-JK-Reviews-Kodomo-No-Jikan]
Games:
Bayonetta [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.169030-JK-Reviews-Bayonetta-Warning-May-Contain-Spoilers] I Game of the Year 2009 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.163760-Celebration-for-My-5000th-post-Game-of-the-Year-awards] I God of War III [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.182952-JK-Reviews-God-of-War-III] I NieR [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.203204-JK-Reviews-NIER] I Castlevania: Lament of Innocence [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.206361-JK-Reviews-Castlevania-Lament-of-Innocence] I Maximo: Ghosts To Glory [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.212014-JK-Reviews-Maximo-Ghosts-To-Glory] I Kingdom Hearts [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.229506-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Kingdom-Hearts] I Kingdom Hearts II [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.230725-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Kingdom-Hearts-II] I Assassin's Creed Brotherhood [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.248762-JK-Reviews-Assassins-Creed-Brotherhood] I Top 12 Games of 2010 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.252471-JKs-Top-12-Best-Games-of-2010] I Bioshock [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.262110-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Bioshock] I Fallout: New Vegas [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.266849-JK-Reviews-Fallout-New-Vegas] I Silent Hill 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.270928-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Silent-Hill-2] I Dragon Age 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.276414-JK-Reviews-Dragon-Age-II]
Music:
Equilibrium's ReKreatur [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.204108-JK-Reviews-Equilibrium-ReKreatur]
Best Movies of the Decade [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.164045-Best-Films-of-the-Decade-Warning-Extremely-Long-Review] I Inception [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.215806-JK-Reviews-Inception] I Oldboy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.236848-JK-Reviews-Oldboy] I Thirst [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.238393-JK-Reviews-Thirst] I Noroi [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.258713-JK-Reviews-Noroi] I Ghost in the Shell [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.264848-Poll-JK-Reviews-Ghost-in-the-Shell?view_results=1] I Top 25 Favourite Films [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.273264-JKs-Top-25-Favourite-Films#comment_form] I Kodomo no Jikan [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.283845-JK-Reviews-Kodomo-No-Jikan]
Games:
Bayonetta [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.169030-JK-Reviews-Bayonetta-Warning-May-Contain-Spoilers] I Game of the Year 2009 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.163760-Celebration-for-My-5000th-post-Game-of-the-Year-awards] I God of War III [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.182952-JK-Reviews-God-of-War-III] I NieR [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.203204-JK-Reviews-NIER] I Castlevania: Lament of Innocence [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.206361-JK-Reviews-Castlevania-Lament-of-Innocence] I Maximo: Ghosts To Glory [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.212014-JK-Reviews-Maximo-Ghosts-To-Glory] I Kingdom Hearts [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.229506-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Kingdom-Hearts] I Kingdom Hearts II [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.230725-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Kingdom-Hearts-II] I Assassin's Creed Brotherhood [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.248762-JK-Reviews-Assassins-Creed-Brotherhood] I Top 12 Games of 2010 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.252471-JKs-Top-12-Best-Games-of-2010] I Bioshock [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.262110-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Bioshock] I Fallout: New Vegas [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.266849-JK-Reviews-Fallout-New-Vegas] I Silent Hill 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.270928-As-Per-Request-JK-Reviews-Silent-Hill-2] I Dragon Age 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.276414-JK-Reviews-Dragon-Age-II]
Music:
Equilibrium's ReKreatur [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.204108-JK-Reviews-Equilibrium-ReKreatur]
Remember, that I am now taking requests for reviews, so any suggestions for future reviews or lists you may have, please let me know via PM or in the replies to this review.
