Exciting, Promising First 30 Minutes. Elle Fanning's Character Cheats Death.

Rating: 2/10 (27 June 2020)

I don't remember why I skipped this movie in 2011. I always wanted to see it, so tonight I did. It's missing an identity/heart/soul. I'm convinced Stranger Things stole it's idea from this movie, but added complexity, visions, the Upside Down, and a female friend with Jean Grey abilities (and fun for its first 2 seasons). Super 8 in a nutshell: One night, middle school friends try to shoot a short film for a contest. They see a mad scientist-teacher trying to stop a train. Things explode. Elle Fanning should have died but she's alive. An alien runs wild. Secretive, shady, unethical and unbelievably violent military guys show up. They clash with local cops. Hollywood really shows contempt for our military based on the ugly, terroristic portrayal of them in movies. Evacuations, fires and family fights occur. Elle Fanning rides a bike and cries. She faces off with the alien. She lives. More explosions. Military and cops argue. Elle Fanning ends up in the aliens lair. Others in the lair are eaten, not Elle Fanning. She faces off with the alien again. A young boy, suddenly an alien whisperer, talks to the alien. The alien runs away. Elle Fanning lives. More running and action. The alien builds a space ship, and its magnetic pull steals a kid's locket necklace with his dead Mother's picture. It's shown as a sweet moment. What?! Townspeople look sad to see it go, despite it eating townspeople and destroying businesses and homes. Nothing is explained. It came. It ate. It destroyed. It left. 1-star for the casting. Mostly likeable and good chemistry. Elle Fanning is a stand-out in 2 scenes. David Gallagher provides some comic relief. 1-star for the first 30 minutes. It was exciting for 1/2 an hour then it crashed. As the end-credits roll, you'll see the short film the kids did and honestly, it's better than the whole movie.