Typical Abrams - intriguing setup, fun execution, disappointing payoff

Rating: Null/10 (25 August 2011)

I went to see this movie honestly not knowing what is it about. I've played through the "trailer" which came with the Portal 2 computer game, so I knew that the movie is set in 80s and that includes a train accident. That's about it. Oh, and that Spielberg and Abrams have their hands in it somehow.
For the first hour or so I was enjoying myself immensely. Sure, the movie was flailing around seemingly not knowing whether it wants to be E.T., Goonies, Predator, Jurassic Park or all of the above, but who cares, it was fun. The setting was cool, the kids were interesting, the wooden father wasn't in too many scenes and action was, well, actiony.
Then Act 3 came along and the movie pulled a Lost (there, I said it). I don't want to spoil anything but... let's just say that it is pretty disappointing and leave it at that.
All in all, this movie feels like it had a chance of being really great but something somewhere down the line went horribly wrong. Dangling plot lines, forced resolutions, character arcs that turned out to be completely redundant and worst of all - out-of-place clichés that seem to come from nowhere and from some completely different movies. Ultimately, you should go see it for the great train accident scene, and if you have the strength of character - leave half an hour earlier and imagine a better resolution.
Sorta like what you should have done after the final episode of Lost Season 3.