Homage or out of ideas, folks?

Rating: Null/10 (7 August 2011)

Half of the reviewers will consider that the many similarities between what goes on in Super 8 and the content of Spielberg and Abrams' previous works is but a homage, while the other half of the viewers, such as myself, will consider it the result of an empty barrel of ideas.
You are introduced to a stereotypical group of kids, who all seem to represent the child self of a movie making team: the annoying/cheap director, the miniature model builder and of course the guy who likes to blow up stuff. At first he chemistry between this crew is fun and believable. But the soon overstep that boundary after the train scene. The little kid who loves explosions does way, way too many commentaries about how cool are the multiple things exploding in the movies, the archetypical fat director talks way too many times about "production values", and the little protagonist gets way too many close up emotional ET like shots to his overly expressive face.
In the second half of the movie there are so many plot holes about the whole "monster" situation that there's no way you'll ever be able to successfully explain why or how the story develops the way it does, except it's to follow the old, well used Spielberg clichés.
Extraordinarily overrated, this movie wasted my hard earned money and a Saturday evening with my wife.