As far as summer blockbusters go, J.J. Abrams's Super 8 is tops! Filled with superb performances, great humor and action sequences so intense that they might cause some filmgoers to go into shell shock, Abrams's latest is all kinds of fun. It's a geek film through and through, drawing inspiration from the early works of the film's producer Steven Spielberg as well as those of John Carpenter (The Thing), George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead), Ridley Scott (Alien), Fred Dekker (Monster Squad) and many others. The film does have its flaws but despite what many film critics seem to think, Super 8 isn't attempting to be a masterpiece. It is far more personal and poignant than most blockbuster fare but ultimately, its sole priority is to entertain.
Set during the summer of 1979 in a Ohio steel town, Super 8 focuses on Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his group of friends as they attempt to make a Romero-inspired Super 8mm Zombie film to enter into a film competition. One night, while shooting at a train station, the group witnesses a catastrophic train crash which releases a sentient being of unknown origin into their unassuming small town. Chaos ensues as the military arrives under mysterious circumstances, disappearances start occurring and the town folk become increasingly paranoid. Meanwhile, Joe and his friends swear an oath to keep their presence at the train station that night a secret.
Aside from Super 8's many thrills, what really holds the film together is the kids. Not since Stand by Me has there probably been such a well cast ensemble of teens. Whether they're talking over each other in a diner or singing The Knack's "My Sherona" on a sidewalk after sneaking out at night, watching the interactions between them is nothing short of sublime. Joel Courtney plays a great protagonist. He is warm, affectionate and slightly awkward. The chemistry between him and Elle Fanning's Alice is amazing, most succinctly displayed in the "zombie kiss" scene. Riley Griffiths is awesome as the bossy director of the group but my personal favorite is Ryan Lee as the "in-dire-need-of-ritalin" pyro-maniac Cary.
The action in the film is something to behold. As evidenced in both the openings of Star Trek and the Lost pilot, Abrams is a master of disaster, pulling the audience into the most anarchic and alarming situations with just the right amount of tastefulness. With the exception of the train accident, a great deal of the action in the film is built around mystery and suspense. That is until closer to the end when chaos reigns supreme.
Without going into spoilers, I will say that the biggest crutch I had with the film is the script's lack of focus. While the mash up of disparate influences is a huge part of the film's appeal, the abundance also makes Super 8 seem a bit scattered which made it difficult to buy into some of the characters' actions and the pay offs in the story. For this reason, the culmination of events, while somewhat effective, ultimately lacked enough resonance.
All in all, I really loved this film. While not as impressive as Star Trek, Super 8 is an extremely fun and entertaining thrill ride, one that will not be soon forgotten.
Here are a few of the film's influences:
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