Mildly entertaining, yet offers nothing new

Rating: 5/10 (16 July 2015)

I rented this based on some very promising reviews (and some spectacular ones too!), but without knowing really anything about it. Let's just say, it wasn't anything near what I expected.
Now, that's not saying it was terrible, because it wasn't. I just wasn't expecting a kid movie. But, thank god for the kids, because without them, this movie would have been a complete train wreck (no pun intended ;)).
The kids were the movie. They all were great, with some great subtle lines and moments that reminded me of being a kid. They were the lifeblood of this movie, and were about the only reason to watch it. Some of the scenes between Joe and Alice were pretty good, as you could tell they liked each other. And it didn't hurt that the setting was 1979 either. The music sure was good! LOL
As with all Spielberg movies, there is a moral to the story here. Despite everything that happens in this movie: a train wreck, a military cover-up, an escaped monster, etc...., there's a theme of being able to let go and move on. And it took the Alien to meet Joe to realize that he could build a 'model' and go home and leave the pain behind. And in return, Joe learned to move on from his mother's death, as he let his amulet go and become part of the Alien's spaceship. Of course, this also brought Joe and his father closer, as well as Alice and her father. It was all a little corny, typical of Spielberg, but there's at least something of value to take away from it.
This wasn't a terrible movie, but it's far from the blockbuster that many think it is.