Production values, man! Production values!

Rating: 7/10 (14 June 2011)

Super 8 holds the almost unique position of being a big budget genre release this summer that is not a sequel, remake, or adaptation of a book or comic.
(I know. I'm just as surprised as you are.) That said, it's easy to discern the roots of J.J. Abrams' latest project, even if one doesn't notice who's executive producing or what long-unused production company label is in the credits.
It's basically the ultimate Valentine yet produced to the work directors like Steven Spielberg, Richard Donner, Joe Dante, and the like had a hand in, back in the late 70s and early 80s. Most specifically the ones that featured snarky but likable kids on a wild adventure.
I think some people forget just what a revelation those films were. Released at a time when Disney and other purveyors of family entertainment produced toothless, faded films that people forgot about (if they even bothered to see them in the first place), these movies drew us in with their humor, their heartand the delicious sense of danger.
We begin the film with a group of kids who want to win the upcoming Cleveland Super 8 film festival. They have the perfect idea for a movie: ZOMBIES! School is finally out for summer. They're refreshed and ready to make the best monster movie ever.
I knew these kids. I used to be one. Sweet, geeky, bickering, goofy, and endearingly innocent.
But, all isn't fun and games. Joe, the boy who budding director Chris chose to be their makeup guy, is still secretly mourning his mother, who died in a terrible accident a few months ago. His dad is the town sheriff and is very obviously overwhelmed with being the local law -and- a full-time father.
To add spice, the girl who agreed to star in the film and drive them around at night is the daughter of the man indirectly responsible for the death of Joe's mom! It's all familiar, involving coming-of-age soap stuff.
The young cast is excellent. They totally sell their friendship, their banter, their heartache, and their desire to do a cool monster movie.
But, as things will, a monkey wrench is thrown in after about 20 minutes of youthful innocence and wistfulness. Sneaking off to the local railroad station for "production values", they witness a spectacular, terrifying train crash.
A crash which releasesSOMETHING into their hometown. Something that wants very much to leave it, at any cost.
And it becomes a new movie, with sinister military men, secret monsters, and the kids themselves getting in way over their heads in an attempt to figure out the truthand just possibly save their hometown and the world in the process.
The slow reveal of the escaped alien was actually pretty cool. In fact, most of the more exciting scenes in the film are excellently done. I get the feeling many of these images were in J.J.'s head for a long time.
On the level of being a nostalgic tribute to the late 70s/early 80s work of Spielberg, it works. It's perhaps one of the most well put together Valentines to those films I've ever seen.
Unfortunately, it's never quite able to work on a level deeper than that. The emotional climax of the film is attempted, but they just can't seem to sell it the way it was sold in, say, E.T.. (Or to give a modern example, in almost every Pixar film since Toy Story 2.) I usually enjoy the work of Abrams. I definitely enjoyed this. But it's probably not quite what he wanted to accomplish.
That said, the youthful cast is stellar, the eye candy action pieces are jaw-dropping, and at least a third of the film really is as mysterious and wistful as it wants to be. That's more than can be said for many attempts at creating a retro-classic.
There are so many wonderful moments I want to spoil but won't. Be on the lookout for an oddball but beautifully touching lesson on zombie behavior. Look for the strange link between the eyes of a beloved, much missed mother and the gaze of a bizarre alien.
Look for the way misunderstanding and fear can be replaced by joy and wonderment. Even after bad things happen.
And definitely stick around during the credits, where as a bonus you'll get treated to the delights of the completed zombie film.
(The first person to make a "Hey, were there LENS FLARES? Hyuck, hyuck, hyuck." joke: Prepare to face my wrath.) (post originally appeared at http://fourthdayuniverse.com/reports)