Six friends spend their time making a terror film when takes place weird deeds and something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

Rating: 7/10 (1 August 2012)

Entertaining film with funny situations , state-of-art special effects and interesting screenplay ; according to J.J. Abrams was homage to the producer of the film, Steven Spielberg, and his films of the 1970's ranging reverence from Spielberg's directorial films . This Spielberg production is a fun movie concerning a feisty bunch of underprivileged kids whose Super 8 filmmaking project is about to be destroyed by weird events . During the summer of 1979, in a small Ohio town a group of friends (film debut of Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths) while making a super 8 Zombie movie (since the kids were making a zombie movie, there are several references to director George A. Romero , as the poster for one of his movies in Joe's bedroom) witness a catastrophic train crash and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy (Kyle Chandler, Jeremy Renner declined the lead role ) tries to uncover the truth - something more frightening than any of them could have thought - and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town. They spend one last adventure-filled Saturday Afternoon together when one of them is kidnapped (Elle Fanning , sister of Dakota Fanning who during the town hall meeting, for a brief second you can spot among the assistants) . This happens after they find a film about their teacher , that could be the solution to all their problems .
This is an amusing mess made in Spielberg style, the goal was to pay homage to the science-fiction movies of the '70s and 80s . The story results to be an emotive homage to Spielberg -as the famous bicycle from Steven Spielberg's movie E.T. can be seen as a part of metal junk that is being attached to the water tower in one of the final scenes- and to cinema of the 80s , taking parts here and there from various film as ¨E.T.¨ , ¨Close encounters of third kind¨ and specially ¨The Goonies¨ , though directed by Richard Donner was written by Spielberg . Imaginative and rousing musical score by Michael Giacchino in John Williams style . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Larry Fong . Top-notch FX , Bruce Greenwood provided the motion-capture performance of the alien , as J.J. Abrams insisted that the train station scenes were actually shot at night outside, instead of in a studio , though the train is completely computer-generated , in fact , the train crash was purposely made much more sensational than a train crash would actually be. Lavishly produced by Steven Spielberg was reportedly on set many times throughout the course of filming , Director J.J. Abrams and Spielberg have both gone on record stating that the filming of this production was some of the most fun they have ever had on set. The motion picture will appeal to Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams buffs . Rating : Better tan average , well worth watching .