Review: Super 8

Super 8 (2011, J.J. Abrams)

J.J. Abrams has made no attempt to hide the fact that Super 8 is a brazen homage to the film’s producer and Abrams boy hood hero; Steven Spielberg. If you were to throw a few movies Spielberg was involved with during the early stage of his career; Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. (1982) and The Goonies (1985) into a summer-blockbuster-blender you would end up with something not a million miles removed from Super 8.

But, however delightful that interesting blend of fat kids, spaceships and sausage fingered alien would be it would unfortunately be missing a fundamental ingredient that really makes Super 8 more than just a love letter to days gone by; Abrams. I am sure that by now you will have seen a film or TV show that has come from the creator of Lost’s warped but possibly genius mind. Alias, Fringe...did you know he wrote Armageddon?

It’s his ability to craft a wonderful story, part biographical and part modern twist on Spielberg’s tried and tested love-family-friend-coming of age formula, in particular the ignorant or absent father trope, that gives Super 8 its own voice and it’s also his directorial vision that gives the film a distinct and modern hue despite being set in 1979.

Before seeing the film I was concerned that the human plot lines, like many summer tent-pole releases, may not be fully developed and could detract from the set-pieces and special effects I was hoping to see. In reality it turned out to be quite the opposite. In fact some of the films brightest moments came in the interactions between the group of adolescent film-makers, who happen to witness a horrific train crash that leads to strange happenings in there usually quiet town. I found myself being drawn deeper and deeper into their world through a combination of witty dialogue and sublime acting. Particular mention goes to Elle Fanning, younger sister of Dakota, who plays Alice Dainard, teenage love interest of the aspiring boy-hood filmmakers.

The human element of the film was so excellent that I almost forgot we were actually watching a science-fiction flick about the military trying to re-capture whatever has escaped from their derailed locomotive. However, Super 8 really excels through the way it eventually finds a comfortable balance between the human narrative and extra territorial happenings. Finally climaxing in a closing act that sees the alien threat fully revealed and the films various sub-plots nicely coming together to provide a delightfully cheesy but still emotionally compelling conclusion.

Super 8 breathes life into a genre that had seemed to die a death amongst the onslaught of summer franchise releases. Look through this year’s line up of big blockbusters and you’ll struggle to find a movie that isn't based on a comic book, a novel, or indeed a sequel or even the dreaded prequel. Super 8 may borrow heavily from original hits of the late 70’s and 80’s but in time it will stand on its own as one of the best films of 2011 because of its refreshing focus on ensuring the human element of the story isn’t lost amongst explosions and body parts.

If Abram’s can continue to dip into the same bag of star dust that the likes of Spielberg and Lucas have done before him he will carry on sprinkling such magic across the screen and will go onto influence another generation of film-makers in the same way, which can only be good news for cinema goers.

4.5/5