Just another CGI treat without a solid story.

Rating: 5/10 (6 August 2011)

The trailers for this movie initially made me watch it, and I had high expectations to the movie, given the facts that it was Abrams and Spielberg who made the movie. And now that I have seen the movie I am left with a bit of a hollow sensation.
Sure the movie was awesome in special effects and CGIs, nothing spared here, and it was an interesting thrill ride to watch. However, the story in itself was a tad too much of something that you have seen before. Think "The Goonies", "E.T." and "Battle Los Angeles", then you pretty much have the end result that is "Super 8". I am sure this movie can be watched by people of all ages, but I am left with a nagging sensation that it was perhaps intended for a younger audience.
The story is about some kind of alien creature stranded on Earth, being experimented on by the American army, and all he wants to do is just to go home. Gee, haven't we seen this before? Say, in "Paul" to mention but a single movie. And of course someone wants to help the creature to go home. And a handful of young movie making teenagers are caught in the midst of the chaotic events, as is the peaceful town of Lilian. This is basically the story.
What I didn't like about the movie was that a lot of it was shot during night or in really dark conditions, hiding most of the alien creature in most shots. I don't want to watch a movie like that, I prefer to see the details, not just given dark silhouettes and having to guess my way to the rest. So for me, this overall dark setting of the movie was dragging the enjoyment down quite a lot.
The acting in the movie was good, both from the adult actors and actresses, as well as the young ones.
I am sad to say that this movie is just yet another movie that lives high on CGI effects, dazzling and thralling us with its effects, such as movies like "Skyline" and "Monsters". It was lacking depth and a more solid foundation for its storyline. Everything here was just a remake of things seen before in other movies already.
However, I am sure that "Super 8" will captivate and spellbind a large group of young viewers, in the same way that "E.T." did back in the day when I was a young kid. I was just hoping for a bit more...