Reviews

I can sum up Super 8 in four words: science fiction nostalgia trip. This is no surprise. It’s set in the late 1970s, produced by Steven Spielberg, directed by J.J Abrams, and stars a bunch of kids. You would be forgiven for thinking that Hollywood was trying to reboot E.T.

Super 8 was never a question of what; it was a question of how. More specifically, how well could Abrams recreate the classic Spielberg sci-fi without being derivative?
Pretty well, actually.
The story is simple by science-fiction standards. It's 1979 in the fictional town of Lillian, Ohio, and 13 year-old Joe Lamb's mother has died in a steel mill accident, and he is estranged from his father. Four months later, middle school is out for the summer, and Joe has found a distraction. He and his friends are attempting to make a Super 8 film for a Cleveland film festival. While shooting late at night (the cheeky buggers sneak out of their houses) they witness a catastrophic collision between a train and a truck that causes the train to derail in a most spectacular fashion. As they survey the wreckage, they find mysterious white cubes in abundance, and come across the body of the truck driver, who happens to be their local science teacher, Dr. Woodward. Miraculously, he comes to life, pulls a gun on them, and warns them not to tell anyone about the crash, lest they suffer grave consequences.
In the next few weeks, the town of Lillian descends into a state of panic, as people and pets go missing at random. Pressure comes on the deputy sheriff, who also happens to be Joe's father, to rectify (or at least explain) the situation. It comes to light that the train that crashed was carrying air force cargo, but the authorities are pretty tight lipped about the situation. They store away the aforementioned white cubes, and interrogate Dr. Woodward with just the right amount of neo-fascist cruelty. As relationships between the would be film-makers develop and break down, the government plans a confrontation with the mysterious source of the disappearances. Turns out they don't stand a chance, but can the kids save the day?
Credit has to go to Abrams for his handling of the story. While he has driven more complex stories before (Lost, anyone?) Super 8 still required a steady hand. The film builds intrigue and suspense skilfully, leaving the numerous possibilities to the audience's imagination while slowly giving them clues. Such precise crafting is not often seen in modern cinema; it would have been all too easy for Abrams to either leave the audience in the dark for too long, or reveal crucial elements of the plot too soon.
The other thing you notice about Super 8 is how easily it slides into the Spielberg sci-fi genre. Sure, it references everything from Jurassic Park to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but it also captures the period brilliantly, with insightfully designed sets and a cleverly compiled 70's soundtrack. There are a few small anachronisms but most aren't noticeable. Hell, I only knew that because I checked on IMDB.
The young cast do a good job of playing bratty-cum-brave teenagers, but two performances stand out in particular. Firstly, Joel Courtney is excellent in the lead, giving the "shy, troubled kid" stereotype a new dimension. Even better is Riley Griffiths as Charles, the pudgy, pushy director of the Super 8 film who will do almost anything to complete his project. I have to give a nod to Elle Fanning as well, who trumphs her older sister by appearing in something decent, rather than riding the Twilight gravy train.
You're probably wondering at this point why I've only given Super 8 three and a half stars. Even I'm wondering that. Truth of the matter is, I'm not that keen on the Spielberg sci-fi genre. All the films in the canon are impressive, there's no doubt about that, but I always find the endings a little mushy and overwrought. The ending of Super 8 is no exception, though it is clever, and might even evoke a tear from those of you who are easily moved. All this being said, whether you like this kind of film or not, I urge you to check Super 8 out at some point. It's an example of great film-making and a worthy piece of escapism, and with Christchurch the way it is, we all need a bit of that right now.
- Harris Williamson

Starring: Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning
Directed by: J.J. Abrams