Film: Super 8
Cast includes: Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), Elle Fanning (Somewhere)
Writer/Director: J.J. Abrams (Mission: Impossible III)
Genre: Sci-fi Thriller (2011)
In brief: An accident at the mill tragically takes the life of Joe’s mom and Deputy Lamb’s wife. The film opens on a scene at the wake. Classmate Charles and others wonder if Joe will still want to work on the film they’re making for the film festival… after all, it’s a zombie film… you know, the living dead. But 4 months later, Joe is onboard with the movie. And when Charles convinces Alice Dainard to be in the movie, it’s almost too good to be true. Not only is she the cutest girl at school, she’s going to be the official driver… not that she’s old enough to drive or has a driver’s license. The project is almost derailed, however, when Alice realizes that the Deputy’s kid is one of the filmmakers. Joe promises not to tell his dad, and it would appear that a crisis has been averted.
The evening’s shoot schedule calls for a scene at the old train station. All elements are in place. There’s film in the camera and… “Action!” As the train heads into the station at top speed, a truck is stuck on the track. The collision of train and truck becomes a massive derailment with train cars flying all over the place. The kids run for their lives, leaving the camera behind. When it’s all over the kids quickly collect their stuff, finding their camera, which had been running the whole time. And miraculously, Dr. Woodward, their science teacher… the man in the truck… is still alive. Strangely, he is not as concerned about the crash as about what happens next. “You cannot speak of this with anyone. If you do, you and your parents will die.” Yikes! That’s strange! And there’s another strange thing… a white cube that Joe picks up and takes home.
Pretty soon strange things are happening all over town. Among other things, all the local dogs go missing. Some insights about what’s going on may well be in the film that’s in the camera. But this being the 1970s… it’ll take days to get the Super 8 film processed. In the meantime, Deputy Lamb’s investigation of the crash is thwarted at every turn by the US Air Force. And the kids, who might actually have information to share, are scared to come forward until they realize they must. Super 8 is a 1970s-era story with many “period” touches. It’s scary, but not too scary for most kids. When it comes to solving sci-fi mysteries, sometimes the kids have better instincts than adults. And in Super 8, that proves to be the case.
3 popped kernels
A sci-fi thriller with monsters, zombies and cover-ups
Popcorn Profile
Rated: PG-13
Primary Audience: Teens
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Mainstream wide release
Mood: Both upbeat and somber
Tempo: Zips right along
Visual Style: Computer effects
Character Development: Not that kind of film
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Pure entertainment
