Super 8 - Not That Great

Rating: 7/10 (15 June 2011)

This film is recommended.
The film's title is a slight misnomer. Super 8 isn't super entertainment, but it is an enjoyable diversion. It does however have a compendium of, at least, 8 films in this one giant sci-fi kiddie adventure movie: ( In alphabetical order, Alien, The Fugitive, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., The Goonies, Jurassic Park, Stand by Me, and War of the Worlds all quickly come to mind. ) Certain scenes in Super 8 pay direct homage ( or simply rip-off ) those original sources and many others, I'm sure.
The film is so unoriginal and derivative. It's the summer of 1979. We know this by the nostalgic twinge of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summers past with its hints of Walkmans, garish fashions, and unending pop oldies soundtrack. A group of teenagers are obsessed with making a zombie film with cheap but gory special effects on an Ed Wood budget. They have written, acted, and are filming their movie one night when an unexpected train crash ( the real film's most impressive big budget item ) halts their filming. Barely escaping injury, the Scooby-doo like gang soon realizes that strange occurrences are at work and they have witnessed the source of the town's problem. They also have the proof in the filmed footage from that eventful evening. The military immediately arrives and starts to cover-up the incident, but our intrepid youngsters will still try to save the town.
The success of Super 8 rests on the small shoulders of its talented young actors who save the film from its sense of familiarity with their likable screen personas. The two young leads are especially strong: Joel Courtney plays Joe, a sad boy whose mother has passed away and whose deputy father is still grieving, and Elle Fanning is Alice, a pretty young thing who can't relate to her drunken father. Both Courtney and Fanning have a wonderful chemistry on screen. Riley Griffiths, Gabriel Basso, Ryan Lee and Zach Mills round out the rest of the team.
Of course, the adults in the film are displayed as mere pawns and have no real personalities or any distinguishing traits. It is only the children that show any dimension, courage, or depth of character. The film's plot devices are simplistic and somewhat flawed, especially the investigation scene at the junior high school. The fact that these kids are never killed or severely injured with all the explosions and mayhem around them defies logic but keeps the film's PG-13 rating intact.
Yet the film remains engrossing due to the solid direction of J. J. Abrams, although his script lacks any real complexity. Abrams knows how to set up his action sequences and really builds tension with his use of sound effects and concise editing techniques. The creature is rarely seen until the last third of the film (ala Jaws and Cloverfield ) and that element of surprise works very well, although it is a bit of a letdown when the creature is finally seen.
Super 8 is still a fun time to be had, but just realize that it's nothing more or less than a well crafted children's movie masquerading as a grown-up thriller. GRADE: B
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