So many good elements, so little story

Rating: 3/10 (20 June 2011)

From the day I first saw the trailer for Super 8, I longed to see this film. Having grown up on Spielberg, from Duel to Jaws to Close Encounters to Schindlers List, his genius is without equal. As a fan of JJ Abrams, especially Lost and Cloverfield, I went to the theater tonight expecting to walk out in slack jawed awe.
I walked out slack jawed, but only feeling disappointment. This film is essentially E.T. without the charm. A weak story line with more holes than a Swiss cheese factory, some truly insipid dialog, and character structure extracted straight from a night school screen writing class.
There are bright spots. The kids were superb actors, every one. The sets were gorgeous. The CGI impressive. Some hearty chuckles, especially the Sheriff's warning that Sony Walkmans were the start of a "slippery slope." I even enjoyed seeing an AMC Pacer get rear-ended by a Buick.
Beyond that, I felt like I was watching a highlight reel of Spielberg's trademarks: Richard Dreyfuss' noisy family scene from Close Encounters is replicated in shameless detail. People being pulled away screaming by an unseen beast, low camera angles with yawning skies, and 12 year olds far smarter than the adults.
It may be worth 3 bucks for a rental. It's not worth 20 at the theater.