Review: Super 8

The J.J. Abrams directed film, Super 8, opened on June 10, 2011. It starred Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning and Kyle Chandler. Super 8 is an Amblin picture and was produced by Steven Spielberg.

Synopsis:

A group of young friends are working on making a movie using a Super 8 camera when a train crashes violently near them. The crash allows an alien to escape and the kids are now a part of a dangerous government conspiracy. Our young heroes must overcome personal tragedies to save their town from the alien and US military.

Positives:

• Years before Stranger Things, J.J. Abrams did a good job of recapturing the spirit of an 80’s Amblin and Spielberg film with Super 8.

• The sci-fi thriller features some well designed action set pieces. There are many exciting moments in Super 8.

• The comedy is handled well, and the actors do a good job of balancing all the different tones in the project.

Negatives:

• Stranger Things would follow similar storytelling model years after Super 8, and the Netflix series definitely pulls off the Spielberg/Amblin nostalgia more successfully than the J.J. Abrams picture.

• The design of the alien in the film is underwhelming and not that interesting.

• The CGI effects in the film are a little weak in certain scenes and moments.

In Closing:

Super 8 is a fun film, but it never meets the standards of top notch Steven Spielberg – although that’s definitely its intention. There isn’t a lot that is memorable about the project – besides the homage it pays to Amblin. Super 8 is enjoyable, but it’s quickly forgotten when it’s over.

Rating: B-