In all honesty, behind “Falling Skies,” the trailer for “Super 8” was probably the biggest letdown of the Superbowl commercials. It was one of those trailers that had a lot to hide and very little to show. I was intrigued, but not enough to follow up. Slowly, more bits of the story came together. As the date of release came closer, I became more interested. When the initial reviews came in, I was convinced I needed to see it. The thing that solidified the idea of watching the movie was the fake rendition of the movie on Funny or Die, which was hilarious. Ready? 3…2…1…“CLOVERFIELD”!!!
The movie introduces you to a young boy called Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) who has just lost his mother in a steel mill accident. The movie picks up 4 months after the accident. The year is early 1979, and Joe and his friends make movies on Super 8 mm film with an old camera. They are currently attempting to film a zombie flick for a film festival and they needed an extra actress. A girl called Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) is used, and there is immediately a spark between them. During one of their scenes, they are filming in a train station when a train is approaching. For production value, they decide to film while it passes, only to be interrupted by its subsequent derailment and explosion at the hands of a car that hit it head-on purposefully. The kids scatter as the craziness occurs, but the camera keeps filming the entire event as it unfolds. Out of the wreckage come the kids and one mysterious piece of footage. Strange things begin happening around the small town, and it’s got something to do with what was on that train.
It was a surprise hit, to be sure, but J.J. Abrams hit the nail on the head with this one. The story is as mysterious as it is ambitious. It harks back to old Spielberg films in a refreshing way that allows you to enjoy it even though the story has been done before. The spirit behind the unknown and the childish inhibition embodied by the lead character are not soon forgettable, and I am sure that everyone can relate since we have all been young before. Overwhelming sadness and emotion can be dealt with and overcome through strife, and this movie truly teaches us that. It’s nothing new, but it is an excellent new take on an old style. The filming is superb and there is a ton of foreshadowing scattered about. It’s a new movie, but feels like an old ambitious film. Oh, and stay for the credits to experience something that you can’t miss. This movie is like watching paint dry on some old Super 8 mm film while it captures something truly out of this world.
By Kulguy
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