Super 8
Directed by: J.J. Abrams Cast: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard Running Time: 1 hr 52 mins Rating: PG-13 Release Date: June 10, 2011
Watch Jeff Bayer interview Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Riley Griffiths and Gabriel Basso
Watch Jeff Bayer interview Kyle Chandler and Elle Fanning
PLOT: In 1979, kids spend their summer making a movie with a Super 8 camera. When they witness a mysterious train crash, they begin noticing strange happenings and investigate.
WHO'S IT FOR? You like blockbusters with some heart? Want to go on an adventure? That should be enough to pack the theater. It's also going to be full of nostalgia for those who loved the late '70s, early '80s. If your kid is under 12, I'd seriously consider if they would suffer from nightmares.
EXPECTATIONS: I knew nothing. I thought "Super 8" was a reference to the type of camera and eight people getting super powers. Actually, I did know this ... If J.J. Abrams is making a film, I want to watch it.
SCORECARD (0-10)
ACTORS: Joel Courtney as Joe Lamb: It's easy to compare Joe to a young Elliot (Henry Thomas) from E.T.. They're both wide-eyed, nervous and, step up to the plate when needed. I love a character who slowly, reluctantly takes a leadership role. Why does Joe do this? For the best reason of all, a girl. Most importantly you feel his pain. The backstory of Joe losing his mother puts you on this team. The wound is still fresh, and this adventure he has definitely relates to him on a more personal level than the other kids. Score: 10
Elle Fanning as Alice Dainard: Alice has her own pain (a drunk father played pretty dang well by Ron Eldard). When she arrives to pick up the boys, my first thought was, "Wow, Elle grew up quickly." But then that childlike wonder and charm that she possesses quickly shows up. She also gets to play a kid trying to act. This allows Fanning some uncharted territory as an actress. She tries to act uncomfortable when in front of the super 8 camera. After all, Alice doesn't act. Score: 8
Kyle Chandler as Deputy Jack Lamb: I love "Friday Night Lights." I love Coach Taylor. Now I love Jack. He's a cop who needs to maintain control after his wife dies, even though he has no clue how to do that. Chandler screams dad. Seriously. There is a tough love moment that is so powerful. Jack insists that Joe doesn't hang out with Alice. Everyone should be able to point to Jack and say he reminds you of (insert father figure you respected/feared as a child). It's great to see Chandler do a little action as well. My favorite moment of his was getting to watch Coach Taylor, I mean Jack, knock out a soldier and put on the uniform. More please. Score: 9
Rest of Cast: Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Riley Griffiths and Gabriel Basso are the actors who play Joe's friends. From awkwardly talking at Joe's mom's funeral to trying to make a movie, these actors just feel like kids. They make fun of each other, like at the restaurant, and it's simply fun. Charles (Griffiths) attempts to be the ring leader since he's the director of the film they're making, but eventually that's Joe's role. Noah Emmerich, as a tough-nosed military man, is the only performance that felt out of place for me. Maybe I'm just a sucker for when Emmerich shows his softer side like in The Truman Show. It was great to see Glynn Turman as Dr. Woodward. Hopefully you recognize him from Gremlins. The Kaznyk Family is a hoot (yes, I said hoot) to have around because it reminds you of some neighborhood family from your life. Score: 9
TALKING: Again, it feels like kid conversations. That's a huge compliment. If you don't believe in the children, you're done with this film. Many kids (and some adults) will be saying "mint." The themes here are loss and how we deal/react/recover. Also, "I'm just trying my best to save you," is a line that is truly memorable and easily will be on the list for Quote of the Year for my TSR Movie Awards. Score: 8
SIGHTS: Lens flares. Do you like them? It's J.J. Abrams signature move. You're going to have to get over it. I notice and move on. I assume Twitter will be talking about this more than the dutch angles in Thor. Yes, all of this is movie nerdspeak. We keep getting glimpses of "the thing in the train" (look at me being spoiler free!). That's how any movie trying to scare kids (and some adults) should do it. There are a few classic "big set" moments like when the kids are wandering through a war zone, that should leave your jaw properly dropped. Also, it looks exactly like small town 1979 should look. Score: 10
SOUNDS: The soundtrack could end up being the most debated thing about this film. When did this song come out? How did a small-town kid have a walkman already? I didn't mind at all. The musical score is big and beautiful and booming. It's doomsday music at its best. Score: 8
PLOT SPOILERS
BEST SCENE: The train wreck starts the insanity. It's the biggest moment in these kids' lives (until everything else that follows). It's huge, insane, and nonstop.
ENDING: It's almost, almost too saccharine sweet. Joe gets his closure. The proper thing happens to "the thing on the train." I've heard others have teared up, but I didn't. Maybe that's because I was slowly battling a migraine for the last 30 minutes of the film.
QUESTIONS: Did having a migraine for the last half hour hurt my enjoyment of the film? At first I was thinking Jack didn't show up in time to help. I found that to be a mistake. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn't about protecting kids, it was about healing so you could be there for your children in the future.
REWATCHABILITY: Since I have that migraine question, don't worry, I'll happily sit through this film again to see what I think. It demands a big screen.
OVERALL
J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg are a dream team. I'm now at the stage where I can expect good things from J.J. Abrams. Remember, this is only his third big screen movie in the director's chair. There's Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek before Super 8. I've been a fan since his TV days with "Felicity," then "Alias" and "Lost."
It feels like I'm watching history. After all, the film is set in 1979. I'm also talking about movie making history. The intelligent, adult sensibilities of Abrams are melded beautifully with the childlike wonder of Spielberg. It's like what we wanted to happen when George Lucas re-teamed with Spielberg for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
You have so many little elements adding up to blockbuster fun. The kids use sparklers to light up a dark cave. You have a wanna-be kid director trying to control his friends. You have a father who cares, but can't show it. You have young love with plenty of pain. You have great scares, jumps and excitement from "the thing in the train." It's like quality just explodes all over the screen and you get to remember the joy of going to the theater (as a kid).
Super 8 is like The Goonies and E.T. on steroids.
FINAL SCORE: 9/10