Forward To The Past

Rating: 6/10 (14 June 2011)

Super 8 is J.J. Abrams' ultimate tribute to the films that defined executive producer Steven Spielberg's career around the same time in which the movie is set, back in 1979. It contains elements of Jaws, The Goonies, E.T and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, while also working in later favourites like Jurassic Park. But you know this already, mostly because everyone in the media discussing this film seems to be falling over themselves to remind you of how good Spielberg is. While I don't dispute this, Super 8 is Abrams' child, so without further ado, let's see what he can bring to the table.
When young Joel and his friends meet at a railway station one night to film a scene for their amateur zombie movie, they're shocked to see a car drive onto the train tracks, causing the spectacular derailment of an oncoming train we later learn was transporting top secret exhibits from Area 51. A creature not of this world manages to escape from its holding carriage, and over the next few weeks the residents of Lillian can't understand why their dogs have all fled the county, and why so many electrical appliances have gone missing.
The film is shot in a unique fashion, using a semi-sepia tone that, at times, is reminiscent of Gordon Willis' cinematography in the Godfather trilogy. Abrams includes the deliberate use of lens flare (the shining lines you sometimes get when pointing a camera at a bright light), which serves a self-reflexive purpose but can get a little irritating. The setting has been recreated beautifully, with everything from the clothes to the cars to the music contributing to the cultural landscape that was late '70s rural America.
Given the subject matter, this film certainly could have been a lot worse. What it ends up being is a slightly above-average monster movie that, for the most part, seems to ignore the fact that a monster is on the loose. How does that even make sense? Well, a big part of it is the interplay between the talented cast of completely unknown child actors, who play off a good script and show maturity in their ability to portray interpersonal hardship that one wouldn't normally associate with this genre.
The film deals with themes such as family, jealousy and friendship, and it is truly a breath of fresh air to see a mainstream movie apply some well-structured character development in a genre that has recently been plagued with nothing but cardboard cut-outs of protagonists (see: Cloverfield, Skyline and Battle LA). Let me put it this way: if you get rid of the monster, and put a touch more thought into each character's persona, Super 8 could easily pass off as an Oscar-baiting, coming-of-age drama about a boy learning to let loved ones back into his life following the traumatic death of his mother.
It is ironic, then, that the movie slips into mundane and predictable territory as soon as the monster becomes the focal point in the Final Act. All these complex and engaging relationships we've seen build between the kids take a back seat in the final half-hour, in place of a climax that lacks originality and, quite frankly, tries to be too emotional for its own good, to the point of becoming sappy. Without giving too much away, Abrams tries to humanise the creature by comparing its plight to that of Joel, and the comparison is hammered home with such ferocity (using both imagery and dialogue) as if to imply we didn't get it the first three times.
Finally, I could have gone without the delayed reveal of the monster. I find that film technique rather dated and didn't really build up as much suspense as expected. That, and the fact that when the monster is shown in its entirety, it isn't exactly the biggest payoff in movie history. As with every movie that surpasses the halfway point of my ratings system, I will recommend it, just not with the same gusto that I hoped I'd have.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review.*