Super 8 (2011) User Reviews

Absolutely Charming

[MVictorPjinsiste · 7/10 · 11 April 2022]

Overtly nostalgic movie about a bunch of kids stumbling on a secret weapon blunder while making a zombie flick. Yes, it is an obvious hommage to Spielberg, that much have been said.

The kids are remarkable, everyone of them. In fact, as soon as the movie moves away from them, it suffers, althought Kyle Chandler, reliable, does a good job with non-verbal acting. The one kid I liked most was the "directing" one, reacting with slight disgust at the thought that his own sister (she must have been ugly when younger) could actually be attractive to others, but all of them had their quirps that made them likeable in their own ways.

When compared with contemporary Stephen King's "It" adaptation, which is similar in many ways, it is less lurid and graphic, and adults are less of a threat, but the nostalgia factor is doubled. I especially liked the middle-class settings and realities, the small Ohio town. My favorite moment was when they actually showed the full movie the kids made ("The Case") during the end credits, which makes it the most agreable end credits I ever witnessed.

Alas, not all was perfect and the main CGI creature is somewhat of a wet petard, and some characters were less than convincing, like the stoner guy. It is however a movie with a heart. Or maybe it's me who's getting too old.

When you see a bike fly, walk out of the theater and make up your own ending

[lcofeer5 · 8/10 · 11 June 2011]

The film is about a town mystery looked through the eyes of children. From the early part of the movie, you feel like something powerful and dangerous is lurking around and is going to jump out on you at any moment. Ever-multiplying questions tease your brain and a suspense is building up at the back of your mind right up to the end of the story.

The acting was very convincing and drawing although the movie suffers from its mediocre ending. A few times I felt that the logic and the flow of the plot were a bit unrealistic and artificial. I wish that the story was focused more on the mystery and the children's reactions without all the insignificant distractions and one-dimensional minor characters.

After being disappointed by a series of recent movies, this one was refreshing and heart-fluttering. It flings us back to the adventure-seeking and truth-chasing time of our childhood. If you are into tantalizing sci-fi thrillers like this movie, I recommend 'Somewhere carnal over 40 winks' as your summer read.

first 80 minutes : great!!! last 30 minutes : horrible!!!

[ghomeishy · 6/10 · 9 August 2011]

I have never seen a movie which could be divided to two parts of "absolutely amazing" and "boring and childish". The first 80 minutes is awesome, I was shocked by how good this movie was as I had seen some bad reviews on IMDb but then the cheesy part kicked in and ruined the whole thing.

First thing that comes in to everybody's mind when they see the first scenes is that this movie is so similar to et! The style is the same, the theme is the same, it even happens in the same era with the same kind of neighborhood which is kinda cool and nostalgic for my generation. Super 8 seems like a fan-made dedication to Spielberg but it just didn't work quite well.

From the actor's performance perspective; Elle Fanning's performance was breath-taking, and she saved some scenes. She's got potential to be a big star in the future. Kyle Chandler on the other hand was just plain and simple awful. He made the whole thing look kinda funny and stupid.

From special effects and sounding perspective, I'd say it was stunning. One of the best I have seen in the genre in years as you would expect when you see Spielberg's name on the screen. There's this big scene at the first half an hour into the movie where you just get nailed to your sit due to the load sound which should have been annoying but it was not. It was awesome. You don't see this in Germany often but after this specific scene, the audience gave Abram an standing ovation!!! It was awesome. Of course at the end, everyone was angry because he ruined the whole thing with a very cheesy "et-like" ending but all in all it was worth the money, better than most of the movies in the last 6 months, I would say.

I'm giving it 6/10 because first of all, I expected so much more from the creator of Lost and second of all, the last 30 minutes is really bad and the ending is just pure garbage. They used some cgi stuff which was very impressive but didn't quite go with the theme of the movie and was really inconsistent. All in all, it doesn't deserve the crap that it's getting in the reviews but it quite doesn't deserve the praises either. It's only OK

I was expecting so much more...

[still_the_dre · 6/10 · 19 June 2011]

I don't make movies or review them. I am simply someone who loves going to the movies and have seen more than I can count. I was waiting for Super 8 for about 6 months. I saw the early trailers, was involved in the viral campaigns. I was amped to go and experience another great JJ Abrams film.

Like many reviewers I started on a high then at about half way my opinion of the movie had gone down a lot.

I watch a lot of movies and like to think I know a good movie when I see one. For me it's simple. Was it interesting? Was it entertaining? Was it original? This is what makes a great movie to me. Super 8 was not a great movie.

The best way to describe Super 8 is take ET and put it in a blender with Cloverfield. But it just doesn't feel like it blended how it should have.

The are too main stories...little kids having adventures, growing up and falling in love. Other the other side a monster attacks the city cloverfield style. The kid parts are filmed in a very ET 80's cinemas style. The alien parts are modern with CGI and at times it honestly doesn't feel like you are watching the same film.

Don't even get me started on inconsistencies of this movie... like a man driving into a speeding train derailing it and SURVIVING? Lol... seriously?

Super 8 feels very much like a fan made dedication to Spielberg but it just didn't quite work.

I will say the kids were excellent actors and I would have been more entertained just watching a movie about them with no alien. Elle Fanning out acted every one, even the adult cast. She proved to be an amazing young actress portraying a maturity far beyond her age. But with the other characters I had no real emotional attachment to them. I didn't feel sorry for the alien, was I supposed to?

Like I said I am simply a movie buff and to me this was not anything special. I'm surprised by all these 10/10 reviews, because this movie had nothing new that you haven't seen in 50 other films. I think it would have made 2 great separate films, where they could have taken their time to build the story. Combined though I would say wait for DVD.

Been there, done that

[bruce-149 · 6/10 · 14 June 2011]

As an homage to the Spielberg films of the 80's, this movie succeeds. As a piece of original entertainment? Nothing happening, folks. Now, if you're a kid and have never seen The Goonies, Jaws, ET, War of the Worlds, and Cloverfield, you may think this film is absolutely wonderful. And judged through the lens of cinema history, it may well be looked upon as a culmination of all that came before.

Let's just hope that the future is filled with something in rare supply: originality.

It's not that I wasn't entertained, it's just that I expected something more.

And I suppose that's another problem with getting older. There aren't as many surprises left in the world.

Six friends spend their time making a terror film when takes place weird deeds and something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 1 August 2012]

Entertaining film with funny situations , state-of-art special effects and interesting screenplay ; according to J.J. Abrams was homage to the producer of the film, Steven Spielberg, and his films of the 1970's ranging reverence from Spielberg's directorial films . This Spielberg production is a fun movie concerning a feisty bunch of underprivileged kids whose Super 8 filmmaking project is about to be destroyed by weird events . During the summer of 1979, in a small Ohio town a group of friends (film debut of Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths) while making a super 8 Zombie movie (since the kids were making a zombie movie, there are several references to director George A. Romero , as the poster for one of his movies in Joe's bedroom) witness a catastrophic train crash and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy (Kyle Chandler, Jeremy Renner declined the lead role ) tries to uncover the truth - something more frightening than any of them could have thought - and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town. They spend one last adventure-filled Saturday Afternoon together when one of them is kidnapped (Elle Fanning , sister of Dakota Fanning who during the town hall meeting, for a brief second you can spot among the assistants) . This happens after they find a film about their teacher , that could be the solution to all their problems .

This is an amusing mess made in Spielberg style, the goal was to pay homage to the science-fiction movies of the '70s and 80s . The story results to be an emotive homage to Spielberg -as the famous bicycle from Steven Spielberg's movie E.T. can be seen as a part of metal junk that is being attached to the water tower in one of the final scenes- and to cinema of the 80s , taking parts here and there from various film as ¨E.T.¨ , ¨Close encounters of third kind¨ and specially ¨The Goonies¨ , though directed by Richard Donner was written by Spielberg . Imaginative and rousing musical score by Michael Giacchino in John Williams style . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Larry Fong . Top-notch FX , Bruce Greenwood provided the motion-capture performance of the alien , as J.J. Abrams insisted that the train station scenes were actually shot at night outside, instead of in a studio , though the train is completely computer-generated , in fact , the train crash was purposely made much more sensational than a train crash would actually be. Lavishly produced by Steven Spielberg was reportedly on set many times throughout the course of filming , Director J.J. Abrams and Spielberg have both gone on record stating that the filming of this production was some of the most fun they have ever had on set. The motion picture will appeal to Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams buffs . Rating : Better tan average , well worth watching .

Magic

[aivilovee · 9/10 · 8 October 2019]

Look, I'm biased. When I first saw the movie in 2011 while I was still just in middle school, I was enamored. Now, 8 years later, as a film student inspired by this movie, I can honestly say that it still holds up. A lot of the love I have for this movie is purely fueled by nostalgia, but even aside from that, the thrills and heartstring tugs this movie delivers still stand up to the test of time so far. This movie is always going to mean the world to me, and I hope someone out there sees this and gives it a shot. It's so criminally underrated and under-appreciated.

Interesting mystery sci-fi film

[filipemanuelneto · 7/10 · 9 May 2020]

This film is an interesting mystery sci-fi that revolves around a small group of teenagers with a passion for cinema. They have a common project for a film, but end up witnessing a major rail disaster while filming. It is immediately clear that the accident is very unusual, and that the military's interest in what happened is far from normal. Set in the late Seventies, a remarkable decade for sci-fi thanks to the fascination of aliens and technology in general, it is a film of familiar contours where mystery is well used.

The film is skillfully directed by J.J.Abrams, and presents a good story, with young teens taking the lead. The film strives to portray teenagers, the way they relate and even the family environment and the relationships between families, which are important for a very small community like this small town. I don't think sentimentality is bad, I think that in the right measure it brings depth to the film.

Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney are the main actors in the film, which gives a lot of scope for young actors to show what they are worth, and these two young actors have definitely done a good job here. Riley Griffiths is good, but not so good. In the adult cast, Kyle Chandler and Ron Eldard deserve an especially positive mention, the latter giving life to a character that is rather unfriendly to the audience.

Technically, the film invests a lot in the environment, in creating tension. It is not that kind of film loaded with thunderous effects, but one where what is suggested matters more than what we see. Honestly, I think it's more interesting than most big-budget sci-fi films, which are basically shot on the green screen. This does not mean that it was not used here or that there are no effects: the film has good special and visual effects, a competent CGI and good sound, but it knows how to use these resources without exaggeration. The good soundtrack also deserves a mention.

Mixing Their Trademarks

[TourettesPersonal · 8/10 · 11 June 2011]

The concept of "Super 8" is combining the elements of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. The trailer made you think it's like E.T. plus Cloverfield. Well, it's true. There is nothing new about "Super 8" but it brought us back to the good old classic times, it's funny, it's exciting, and it's amazing.

"Super 8" is another intriguing monster movie by J.J. Abrams. Yes, you really wanna know what it looks like but I'm not gonna tell you. The sad thing is it's not as intriguing as Cloverfield. But It's easy to ignore that problem because there is something better than being another Cloverfield. It feels like you are watching a good old classic movie. Great characters, Good old fashion score, and kids intrigued by the situation.

The story is really about the characters' zombie movie making and the family tragedy while there's a monster attacking their town. The monster is like the background or the subplot of this film. But the movie still got suspense. The movie is indeed beautiful and plenty of heart. The movie is just nostalgic stuff. It's not trying to be new. It just wants to show how J.J. Abrams is inspired by Steven Spielberg's movies.

There are some amazing scenes in this film. Example, the train collision was breathtaking. The movie sure has a lot of humor. It's like a relic to the old family movies. The CGI is good enough. The performances were good. The kids gave a lot of personality to their roles.

"Super 8" is a J.J. Abrams film with Spielberg's trademarks all over it. It's not a blockbuster that has a lot of action and less talking. This movie is made in old fashion style. Yep, this movie is nostalgic if you saw Spielberg's old movies and it's good to see another one like it.

Note: There is something interesting in the credits. You might wanna check it out.

Super 8.....super... hmmm just OK!

[gergear · 6/10 · 14 June 2011]

I really wanted to love this movie. Having grown up in the 80's blessed with so many classic Spielberg movies the thought him making one with JJ Abrahams was tantalizing. Unfortunately, it seems that by working together they have simply produced a compilation of all there best ideas which when put together into an entire movie simply don't wash. There were so many ideas taken from past Spielberg movies, Jaws, Close encounters, ET just to name a few. Then into to the mix comes JJ with his Lost / Cloverfield (which I love) mystery monster adult story. The result is a continued battle between a touching, funny, kids Spielberg movie with a confusing, alien monster that kills soldiers and has unbelievable power which as the story unfolds becomes absurd as to how the Army ever had control of it in the first place. This simply did not at up at all! To keep it simple these two movie styles should be kept separate. When they are combined together there is not enough of either to satisfy. Through the majority of the movie I just sat there thinking I've seen this before, I know what's going to happen next, it was better in the eighties. Cloverfield was far better, The Goonies was a classic, ET was a classic, Close Encounters was a classic, Jaws was a classic. This unfortunately was not!

ET meets Goonies meets The Sandlot

[Nooch007 · 10/10 · 4 June 2011]

I was fortunate enough to see a screening this morning in DC. I had pretty high hopes for it from what I saw from the trailers. I don't lean one way or the other when it comes to Abrams, some of his stuff I like, some of it I don't. Super 8 is one that I loved.

In the current era of CGI laden, soul-dead adventure flicks, Super 8 distinguishes itself by having heart. There is an authenticity to those kids in the film, a familiarity in their conversations. It reminded me of when I was a kid. It was like ET meets Goonies meets The Sandlot. And the film that they are trying to make within the film, and their obsession with "production values" draws a lot of laughs.

The friendship between the kids in the film really resonates, and the emotional elements of the film totally deliver. One of the most poignant scenes in the film has nothing to do with whats in the train car, or the air force, and anything like that....rather, its a scene that takes place in Joe's bedroom as he sits on the floor talking to Alice.

Now, as much as I loved the film, it is not without some flaws, mostly in continuity. Also, I would have liked a little more exposition for some of the characters, I would love to know more about Alice's father. That being said, I am forgiving on those things because the movie hits its mark everywhere else.

Surely it will draw its comparisons to ET, and the other early Spielberg works, but those comparisons will always be unfair. Those films came at a different time. And the people who see Super 8 today, have changed since they first saw ET, or any of those other films. I am just glad the generation of younger people will have this as a generational film for them, as I had with those other great adventure films.

All in all, Super 8 was a terrific film experience, that will leave you with a smile on your face.

Prometheus Bound

[chaos-rampant · 20 August 2011]

Abrams has proved to be a talented cameraman. I don't mean this in a condescending manner, at least not entirely. But that's all there is with him, shape and contour. He's yet to situate himself within a worldview - so he borrows from where it is convenient to fit into. Here it's Spielberg - his world of wondrous discovery, magical escapade into comfortable menace, but where everything is wistfully made right again.

So you probably know by now how this is a pastiche built from other stuff; Close Encounters, The Host, The Goonies. The point-of-view is from the children (who are, perhaps, the only characters worth watching), the monster stalking the perimeters. The military is the faceless inhuman machine of cruel intentions.

What Abrams does is perfectly in tune with post-modernist ideas. But whereas the Coens appropriate raw essentials and even whole chunks of preconceived world but build from them their own notion of a universe, Abrams is merely an itinerant garbage collector.

It's all so derivative, so uniformly processed, it makes me wonder why anyone would take time out of their lives to make it - assuming one has creative aspirations about the art. Is Close Encounters really that old? So, like the myth of Prometheus; some artists risk to steal the fire that will renew our lives, a dangerous fire, others merely spend their time bound in the confines of earlier discovery.

Forward To The Past

[Jonathon_Natsis · 6/10 · 14 June 2011]

Super 8 is J.J. Abrams' ultimate tribute to the films that defined executive producer Steven Spielberg's career around the same time in which the movie is set, back in 1979. It contains elements of Jaws, The Goonies, E.T and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, while also working in later favourites like Jurassic Park. But you know this already, mostly because everyone in the media discussing this film seems to be falling over themselves to remind you of how good Spielberg is. While I don't dispute this, Super 8 is Abrams' child, so without further ado, let's see what he can bring to the table.

When young Joel and his friends meet at a railway station one night to film a scene for their amateur zombie movie, they're shocked to see a car drive onto the train tracks, causing the spectacular derailment of an oncoming train we later learn was transporting top secret exhibits from Area 51. A creature not of this world manages to escape from its holding carriage, and over the next few weeks the residents of Lillian can't understand why their dogs have all fled the county, and why so many electrical appliances have gone missing.

The film is shot in a unique fashion, using a semi-sepia tone that, at times, is reminiscent of Gordon Willis' cinematography in the Godfather trilogy. Abrams includes the deliberate use of lens flare (the shining lines you sometimes get when pointing a camera at a bright light), which serves a self-reflexive purpose but can get a little irritating. The setting has been recreated beautifully, with everything from the clothes to the cars to the music contributing to the cultural landscape that was late '70s rural America.

Given the subject matter, this film certainly could have been a lot worse. What it ends up being is a slightly above-average monster movie that, for the most part, seems to ignore the fact that a monster is on the loose. How does that even make sense? Well, a big part of it is the interplay between the talented cast of completely unknown child actors, who play off a good script and show maturity in their ability to portray interpersonal hardship that one wouldn't normally associate with this genre.

The film deals with themes such as family, jealousy and friendship, and it is truly a breath of fresh air to see a mainstream movie apply some well-structured character development in a genre that has recently been plagued with nothing but cardboard cut-outs of protagonists (see: Cloverfield, Skyline and Battle LA). Let me put it this way: if you get rid of the monster, and put a touch more thought into each character's persona, Super 8 could easily pass off as an Oscar-baiting, coming-of-age drama about a boy learning to let loved ones back into his life following the traumatic death of his mother.

It is ironic, then, that the movie slips into mundane and predictable territory as soon as the monster becomes the focal point in the Final Act. All these complex and engaging relationships we've seen build between the kids take a back seat in the final half-hour, in place of a climax that lacks originality and, quite frankly, tries to be too emotional for its own good, to the point of becoming sappy. Without giving too much away, Abrams tries to humanise the creature by comparing its plight to that of Joel, and the comparison is hammered home with such ferocity (using both imagery and dialogue) as if to imply we didn't get it the first three times.

Finally, I could have gone without the delayed reveal of the monster. I find that film technique rather dated and didn't really build up as much suspense as expected. That, and the fact that when the monster is shown in its entirety, it isn't exactly the biggest payoff in movie history. As with every movie that surpasses the halfway point of my ratings system, I will recommend it, just not with the same gusto that I hoped I'd have.

*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on [e-mail] and let me know what you thought of my review.*

Elements cobbled together from other Spielberg films ***spoilers

[mkc1218 · 5/10 · 12 June 2011]

Super 8, derivative and disappointing at its best, can be summarized using elements from the other sci-fi/thrillers that Spielberg either directed, produced, or exec-produced.

Some annoying kids find a map (Goonies) – including a fat kid who likes to eat (Goonies) – and they come up against the military which is trying to track down an alien on the loose (E.T.).

The creature has created issues for the townsfolk who express concern at a meeting with the sheriff (Jaws) and they eventually have to evacuate because of a made-up disaster (Close Encounters).

The alien, who is a really a spider (Arachnaphobia) that has been collecting items so that he can get home (E.T.), has the ability to make a psychic connection with humans (Close Encounters). One of the kids has a seemingly useless obsession that winds up helping to save the day in a climactic sequence (fireworks here and inventions in the Goonies) however the creature is much too smart to fall for such a trick (Jaws - "he's either very smart or very stupid"). An old guy, who is an expert on this creature (Jaws) winds up dying while the army shoots through the town and tanks roll (War of the Worlds).

Then the characters put the story together in one long expositional scene and we are not really sure how they figured it all out (Minority Report). It seems the monster is really a misunderstood good guy (Goonies) who makes a connection with our hero (ET, Close Encounters) and then flies home (E.T), but not before a lot of missing people are returned (Close Encounters) and lots of appliances fly around (Poltergeist).

The End.

Nostalgia Not of the Cynical Kind

[csuperman · 31 August 2011]

It is nostalgia ridden like many other films have been this past decade, the only difference is it's not of the cynical kind.

The film's narrative FELT all over the place (probably more the plot than the narrative) - there was a certain tightness missing from this that was present in J.J. Abrams' previous film but, other than that, everything else did exactly what it's supposed to. The kids are both engaging and entertaining, the monster turns out to be quite frightening, the dialogue's great, the acting's great, visual effects, cinematography- everything's on point.

It felt like I was watching a proper film! I mean it seems too much to ask for from our blockbusters these days.

Start greats, then progressively turns into a giant-clichè.

[firebrand81 · 6/10 · 25 May 2021]

First half hour is great, feels like Stranger Things, then progressively all the clichè for these kind of films starts kickin in (like mad scientist that in the basement of the school hides precious secret tapes where he explained Area 51-like stuff) and in the last 30 minutes what could have been a great movie turns in a sort of sad "ET. Phone. Home".

The last ten minutes are the worst, and made me take away another star from the rating.

A missed opportunity. What a shame, the kids were great, for sure the best part of the movie.

A fantastically entertaining, old school movie

[schmev117 · 7/10 · 12 June 2011]

I'm just going to say this upfront, Super 8 is now one of my favorite movies. It is one of the most thrilling , emotional, well-acted and just all around entertaining movies I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot of movies. It brings back that old school movie feel of wonder and innocence that made movies like E.T. , Stand By Me, and the Goonies , the classics that they are now and I think Super 8 is right in the same league. But Super 8 has another side to it as well, it's a monster movie. This aspect is obviously modeled after other Spielberg classics like Jurassic Park and Jaws and uses some of the same techniques to great effect.

As I said above, the acting is amazing. All the kids are absolutely fantastic they really act like real teenagers- the way they talk, the way they act and all their different quirks are all hilarious. It's so fun watching them all together. The adults are all great too particularly Kyle Chandler who plays the main character, Joe's, father. He perfectly displays his difficulty in the situation he is in and his lack of communication with his son.

Super 8 is actually a very emotional movie. Joe and his father have been through some tragic events and they are still trying to cope with their loss. There is some real depth in the emotional scenes and this makes you care more for the character and it makes the movie much more intense when the action starts heating up. That brings me to the next great aspect of the movie, the action.

There are some very intense scenes in Super 8. The movie has one of the most awesome scenes of destruction (the train crash) I have seen in a movie, and its in the first thirty minutes. After this is when the unseen monster starts causing havoc. What's great is that you hardly ever see the monster. It's just like Jaws, the less you see, the scarier things are. This makes it so that once you see the monster it is very satisfying.

There are flaws in the movie such as the drastic change in tones between the lighthearted events with the kids to the pretty dark and violent scenes with the monster, and the movie ends a little bit too soon, but this is all negligible because the movie is so entertaining, moving, and heartfelt.

http://evsmoviezone.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/review-super-8/

They don't make 'em like this anymore...

[LloydBayer · 7/10 · 19 June 2011]

Simultaneously premiering in the UAE on 16 Jun, I had a choice to make…"Green Lantern" or "Super 8". If you are reading this, then my choice was quite obvious. Although the marketing hype for "Green Lantern" was good, I settled for this movie simply due to the J. J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg collaboration. While both have been known to possess a flair for Sci-fi adventures, my curiosity was out of bounds when anticipating what this partnership could produce.

Set during the summer break of 1979, teenagers Joe, Charles, Cary, Preston, Martin and Alice go about producing a low budget zombie movie using Charles' hand held Super 8 motion camera. Just before wrapping up, they witness a horrific train crash, caused by derailment by head-on collision with a pick-up truck. Having barely survived the crash, the children's biology teacher, instructs them never to recount what they just saw; for their own safety and the safety of their parents. Soon enough, the crash site is cordoned off by the US Air Force, plunging the small town into mystery and peril with unexplained disappearances of household metals and even some town folk.

Written, produced and directed by J. J. Abrams with Spielberg signing on as co-producer, this film is more than just a tribute to sci-fi mysteries of the 1980s. True, there will always be negative criticism, as the film's plot will be compared to "E.T The Extraterrestrial", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Cloverfield". But with "Super 8" produced by Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, there is absolutely no question of plagiarism on Abrams part. How can there be one, when the studio executive is none other than Spielberg himself? Unwarranted negative criticism aside, this film is well made, from casting and acting to special effects and production values. Although Abrams has interjected humour at the right moments, his general feel of the plot centres on the tragedy of loosing a loved one. For good measure, he also throws in moral messages associated with the sense of belonging and acceptance. Again, this juncture will be compared to Spielberg's ET trying to fit in amongst humans. As the narrative revolves around the lives of teenage children, casting is near perfect with captivating portrayals from Joe Lamb and Elle Fanning as Joe and Alice. This could well be Elle's claim to fame, rather than living of her sister's (Dakota) repute as a child star. Some unexpected yet amusing moments are well rendered by Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee and Zach Mills. With limited screen time, but worthy of screen presence, Kyle Chandler as Joe's grieving father and the town sheriff, and Ron Eldard as Alice's alcoholic father standout among the adult cast.

As a child of the 1980s, I can relate to this film with boyish nostalgia. Thankfully, I didn't have to deal with aliens or monsters in the flesh. However, Abrams does an excellent job in capturing the mindset of a teenager. From that perspective, there is adventure, fantasy, puppy love, heart break and even terror. Filming is clearly digital and takes you back to an era when low lit scenes were peppered with heavy grain, also called 'noise' by photographers. Back then, cinematographers had to use special films for low lit scenes. The unavoidable disadvantage was the noise level. Here, this works to Abrams' advantage and is obviously intentional in creating the look and feel of a bygone era in film making. Another aspect Abrams gets right was resisting the temptation to bring this out in 3D. While there are moments during the film that could have the audience bobbing and weaving, the intended atmosphere would have been lost to a plastic gimmick. Where Abrams excels as the film's director, is in placing special effects in the background. He gives a lot of focus to character development while heightening the mystery of 'something dangerous lurking in the background'. As such, we never get a full glimpse of what terrorizes the small town of Lillian (Ohio). When we do get to see it, the film is in the final act. This here is my only gripe, especially when there is evidently so much work put into drawing in the audience. Maybe it is just me, but if the film spans 112 minutes, where is the harm in adding another 15 minutes to avoid the risk of an abrupt ending? Although "King Kong" (2005) has a tragic ending, the final act is simply spectacular. Having said that, if you are the type of person to go for first impressions, rather than last impressions, then "Super 8" is an otherwise great piece of filmmaking.

With a PG-13 rating (PG-15 in the UAE), this is a film for the entire family. So load up the SUV and get to the nearest cinema. Leave the dog at home.

Kids movie made for adults

[timothyhilditch · 6/10 · 25 November 2021]

Set in the early 80s some kids are making a short film in their small town and witness a train crash then weird stuff starts happening around the town. The first time I watched this movie I was the same age as the kids, I didn't like it with nothing driving forward the plot apart from the film. Now I understand that it's just the filmmakers remaking their childhoods, not for their earlier selves but for the present day versions. It's a mix of the iron giant and Steven Kings group of kids movie, it doesn't advance much further than that. The ending needed to be small focussed around the kids but it decided to end like the Iron Giant rather than It or Stand by me.

One of the great ones

[ungy357 · 10/10 · 9 June 2011]

In 1979, in the fictional town of Lillian, Ohio, a preteen boy named Joe Lamb is trying to cope with the recent death of his mother, who was killed in a factory accident. Much to the frustration of his father, the town's deputy sheriff, Joe copes by immersing himself in a project lead by his best friend, Charles. That project is a horror film, shot on a SUPER 8 camera, and Charles has enlisted the help of not only Joe, but the rest of his misfit friends, and has surprised everyone by talking Alice Dainard, the prettiest girl in school, into playing the hero's wife. On the night of the first big shoot, the would be filmmaker witness a train crash. Pretty soon, the town of Lillian is swarmed by military men, who won't tell anybody what is going on. Abrams and Spielberg may be the only two people in Hollywood who still know how to keep a secret, so I won't spoil that by going into the plot too much further. But I will say that Super 8 lives up to every bit of hype and expectation surrounding it. This is a beautifully crafted, emotional, funny, scary, thrilling movie that enthralls an audience the ways Spielberg's 80s classics did. And this is coming from someone who has been accused of "worshipping" Spielberg. Abrams has recreated the look and feel of vintage Spielberg expertly, down to the last detail. For a Spielberg fan, it's an absolute joy to behold.

But Abrams somehow manages to do this without completely sacrificing his own unique voice as a filmmaker. It's got the twists and turns of Lost, the personality of his Star Trek, and, like most Abrams projects, a leading lady who propels the whole thing. In this case, it's young Elle Fanning, who, as Alice, projects such a genuine combination of childlike innocence and ahead of her years maturity, that you can't take her eyes off of her whenever she's on screen. The entire cast is terrific, especially Joel Courtney as Joe, and Riley Griffiths as Charles, but Fanning steals the movie. We become completely involved with these characters in a way we rarely do with adult Hollywood heroes. I found myself caring every bit as much about the budding romance between Alice and Joe as I did the more spectacular events of the film.

And it is spectacular. Abrams and Spielberg give us action/suspense scenes that evoke Spielberg's classics Jaws, Jurassic Park, and E.T. They also come as close to the emotion of E.T. as any film of this type has done since then. Super 8 is the kind of film for which the cliché "You''ll laugh, you'll cry" was invented. If you're a child of the 80s and complain that they don't make movies the way they did when you were a kid, well, Abrams and Spielberg have done exactly that.And Michael Giacchino further establishes himself as one of the best film composers to come along in years. His score soars with emotions and build suspense in the vein of (of course) John Williams.

I also have to take a moment, as former amateur child filmmaker, to talk about how well rendered that aspect of the story is. It certainly added an extra level of enjoyment for me that I vividly remember the days of trying to make my own blockbusters with nothing but a camera, a few friends, and wildly overactive imagination.

It's worth mentioning, by way of warning (especially to parents) that Super 8 is rated PG-13 for a reason, namely the intensity, and for an E.T./Goonies like tendency to have the kids swear. Most audiences will get past this, but certainly some will not, and I'm absolving myself of any complaints.

Movies like this are the reason I love movies. In an age when trailers give away everything, Super 8 unfolds before us, capturing us in its spell, and never letting go. It's an unforgettable movie experience. A film to be treasured,

Entertaining Film

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 28 January 2012]

In the late 70's, in the small town Lillian, the boy Joseph "Joe" Lamb (Joel Courtney) misses his mother, who died in an accident in the local mills. His father and local deputy Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler) wants to send Joe to a summer camp to spend vacation but he wants to stay in Lillian to help his friend Charles Kaznyk (Riley Griffiths) to make a super 8 movie.

Joe has a crush on Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) but Jackson hates her father and does not want Joe to be close to Alice. However, Joe's friends invite Alice to be the lead actress of their zombie movie and they head to a train station to shoot a scene during the night. Out of the blue, they witness a train crash provoked by their teacher Dr. Woodward (Glynn Turman) with his pickup and Joe takes a small object that he finds in the wreckage. Sooner the location is surrounded by the Air Force militaries under the command of Colonel Nelec (Noah Emmerich) that evacuate the town. When Joe and his friends watch the footage of the accident, they discover what the military are seeking in Lillian.

"Super 8" is a film that combines "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" with "Predator". The result is unoriginal but highly entertaining, with all the clichés of the genre. The film made by the Charles is entwined in the credits and is hilarious. The soundtrack with classics from the 70's is another plus in this film. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Super 8"

Good times

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 9/10 · 20 January 2012]

Growing up, I was in the generation of a lot of great kid's films like The Goonies, The Sandlot, Monster Squad and Stand by Me. But sadly my generation seemed to be the last one where we had great kid films that not only insulted it's demographic, but also had the great adventure that we needed. Watching those movies were just a great time and they've remained classics ever since I think because we haven't had a movie for a couple of decades. Steven Spielberg was the man who brought a lot of these classics alive, who better to collaborate with J.J. Abrams who knows great action and obviously has a love of the movies I just mentioned. They bring us Super 8, the trailers remained so mysterious and made you want to see the movie, because all it was, was a car crashing into a train and you had to guess what just jumped out of it. Sadly I had to wait until the rental, however what a great movie that I feel people are being just a little bit rough on.

Joe, a 13-year-old boy living in a small town in Ohio, has lost his mother in a factory accident. His friend Charles Kaznyk convinces schoolmate Alice to be the protagonist's wife in his low-budget zombie movie on Super 8 film. Alice steals her father's car and takes Joe, Charles, Preston, Martin, and Cary to an old train depot where the group plans to film a scene. During the shoot, Charles sees a train coming towards the depot and sets up the cameras, hoping that the passing train will add authenticity to the scene. As they are filming Joe watches a pick-up truck drive onto the tracks and place itself in the path of an oncoming train, causing a massive explosion. Something breaks open one of the train car's doors and escapes. They discover that their teacher caused the "accident" and that there is something invading their town. Together they try to find out what it is and help each other when the times get more rough.

The weird thing is I really did enjoy this movie, not just because of the nostalgic feeling but I honestly felt this was a good movie. I loved the chemistry between the kids, they all clicked so well and their friendships seemed very real. I loved the special effects, they didn't seem over the top with the CGI. The only complaint I would have with the film is the ending, where the kid is talking to the alien and saying how he could relate to him that bad things happen, which I though was very cheesy, but that's the Spielberg effect. I don't know why there are any negative reviews on the film, I know that you can't win them all but I loved that this traveled back in time for the adults and a great new way to introduce an excellent genre to the younger generation. Who knows if we will have any more classics down the line, but this was a fun trip down nostalgic lane. Super 8 has laughs, action, suspense and reminds you why you loved being a kid before technology hit so hard.

9/10

Super 8 is a Super Gr8 recipe that's missing a few delicious components

[TheManCalledX · 6/10 · 10 June 2011]

J.J. Abrams and the legendary Steven Spielberg join forces in this coming-of-age, science fiction film, Super 8. In the small town of Lilian, Ohio, a group of teenagers are making a zombie movie with their Super 8 mm camera, but fall witness to a catastrophic train crash. What follows are a series of mysterious events that include people missing, local dogs being discovered in neighboring counties, and the appearance of the military.

I showed up to the movie's midnight premiere with very high expectations. A year ago, seeing the teaser trailer that implied that a mysterious alien creature would run amok just left me anticipating for June 10th to come. I was a huge fan of Cloverfield for its originality and non- stop action (as well as the monster himself), so I expected J.J. to create a masterpiece of its own.

The way I can describe this movie is that it's like a recipe for a chocolate cake. The cake surely tastes delicious, but looking in the recipe book, you expected a little more. For example, many have complained about the ending, and this I can agree on. It's so rushed and abrupt right when you're in the middle of the awe and action that it's almost a bit of a turnoff. There were also points where the movie seemed so unrealistic (i.e. the Biology teacher surviving the train crash with half of his truck left unharmed), but they're things to be overlooked.

What Abrams does perform though is an excellent set-up of the plot and production design. Yes, the plot does get messy by becoming various different types of movies, but it does it in a way that just manages to work out in the end. The design of the film was also well done, whether it be the beautiful train collision scene, the 80s feel, or the creature itself.

The film itself pays a solid homage to classic Spielberg, giving off a "Close Encounters With The Third Kind"/"E.T."-esque vibe. However, this doesn't quite live up to either of those films. It turns out the reasons behind the alien's attacks is *SPOILERS* the usual "creature kept in captivity and tortured, and now hates all of mankind" cliché. It doesn't ruin the film, but it leaves a small tarnish on it.

What separates this from most other summer flicks though is that it has a heart. The relationship between this young group of friends is flawless, and brings me back to when I was just a kid. Like most have said, it's like "The Goonies" or "The Sandlot" all over again. Acting-wise, the young and unknown (minus one face) cast is absolutely top-notch. Elle Fanning has proved herself to grow up into a strong and emotional actress, possibly better than her older sibling Dakota. Joel Courtney does an especially phenomenal job as Joe Lamb, who just can't let go of the recent death of his mother, and proves himself an especially powerful character in a scene where him and his Dad have a tear-jerking argument. Kyle Chandler does a great job as Joe's overburdened father, who not only has to juggle with the death of his wife, but the mysteries and troubles occurring in this town. Ron Eldard as Elle's character's father is truly an underrated and troubled character. Overall, outstanding cast.

Overall, Super 8 is truly a unique summer flick in its own, but it just misses at certain points that make you feel like you expected some more from it.

Supremely disappointing and shallow

[ryanslice · 4/10 · 9 June 2011]

Although I could create an extensive list of cliché one-liners, obvious inconsistencies, and totally unrealistic occurrences (even for a PG-13 sc-fi movie), the underlying reason that I will influence friends to not see this movie is because the plot was weak and shallow.

First of all, there are actually 4 subplots that a viewer has to juggle between!

1) A budding romantic relationship between the two main (middle school) characters 2) Mending a tense father-child relationship(s) (also with both main characters) 3) A group of early teens helping the alien return home and... 4) A son finding a way to cope with the loss of his mother *I might not have deemed 4) as a plot line if it wasn't for the intentionally-dramatic "letting the alien take mom's locket" scene as the last scene in the movie*

These plots were all given fairly even amounts of attention and while they did have some connecting, because there is not much screen-time or time dedicated to deepen dialogue within the individual plots, they all come off as unimportant.

While it does have a fair amount of suspense, the action sequences are typical at best.

Overall, just a flat-out poor showing by high profile names (and a $45m budget).

Like I mentioned in the beginning sentence, there are so many things that just don't make any sense. But the biggest question I had walking away is why did the Air Force end up killing Dr. Woodward??? There was no reason for his murder whatsoever! (Not considering the fact that he was still alive after a head-on collision with a speeding freight train). It's almost funny how drastic that decision was by the "evil Air Force Sargent," Nelec.

Best 2011 Movie

[theevans7 · 12 June 2011]

Steven Spielberg and J.J Abrams working on a project together. That idea alone is great however the finished project is a masterpiece. I was expecting a lot when I walked into the theater, when I walked out, not only were my expectations met but it was much better than i thought it would be. Let's start off with the actors, they all did a great job, but I was really impressed with Elle Fanning's acting, she added lots to the movie. I know it won't happen for this movie but I think she deserves an Oscar for her performance. Next, let's talk about the overall movie, it was great, it had, action, comedy, Mystery, romance, and suspense. The special effects were amazing, best this year. Now, the ending, i'm not going to say what happens, but many people hated it but I thought it was perfect, great way to end the film. Overall, suspense, action packed movie with great special effects and great acting from underrated stars makes the best movie of 2011, and one of the best movies ever. 10/10