Super 8 (2011)

There’s a scene early in J.J. Abrams’ Super 8, set in the summer of 1979, where we’re shown two of the main characters’ bedrooms. In that of our hero Joe Lamb’s, we’re treated to Aurora model kits of famous Universal monsters like the Hunchback, a Frankenstein mask, and a Creature From The Black Lagoon doll, as well as various era-specific comics and even an issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland (what, no love for Fangoria #1?). The bedroom dwelling of aspiring filmmaker Charles has its walls adorned with theatrical one-sheets for Halloween and Dawn of the Dead. It’s quickly established that Super 8’s young characters are self-described “Monster Kids” and, if you have even a remote interest in horror or science-fiction, you just might be one, too, or at least grew up as one.

JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg definitely fall into that category and, with Super 8, wear that love proudly on their sleeves.

Abrams, along with producer Spielberg, hopes to awaken those possibly forgotten feelings of excitement over the latest b-movie playing at the local, single screen, movie theater or the newest monster make-up technique from Dick Smith (Tom Savini/Rick Baker/Stan Winston/Rob Bottin if you grew up in the 80s). At the very least, you might be able to go to the movies this summer and say “Finally. Someone gets it. I really don’t have a single thing to complain about with this movie.”

The top secret story involves a group of kids making a zombie movie with a borrowed Super 8 camera, who stumble upon a horrific train crash and subsequently get tangled up in the enigmatic red tape of an Air Force conspiracy. Their small Ohio town becomes invaded by uniformed scientists as townspeople begin mysteriously disappearing. Sheriff’s Deputy Jackson Lamb (played by Friday Night Lights’ Kyle Chandler) starts asking questions and, before he knows it, crosses paths with his young son, Joe, and his adventure-seeking friends.

There are certainly elements of Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E. T. present here (there are even some direct references throughout) and, it’s precisely the spirit of those early blockbusters Abrams is recreating. Sure, there is the standard use of summer movie CGI, but there’s also a subtlety and heart that has been missing in these types of films for a long, long time. Recalling early Spielberg, at its core Super 8 is about a family – Joe and his recently widowed father, trying to put their lives back together and fill the increasing void between them. Their loss has also affected many of the townspeople (not counting the families of Joe’s friends) as well and the town as a whole is in need of something uplifting.

It’d be easy to sit here and point out things like “That town meeting bit was lifted from Jaws”, “this dialogue exchange between the kids echoes Goonies or Stand By Me”, or “that kid constantly hitting the dining room table is a direct homage to Close Encounters”, but it’s even easier to just sit back and enjoy what is truly a breath of fresh air for American summer movies. This summer, multiplexes will again be overcrowded with super-heroes, talking animals, and big, dumb, loud sequels to pointless CGI eye-candy. In fact, I’m interested to see how some of the younger moviegoers will respond to a picture like Super 8, given that they may have only grown up on movies like this through home video – that’s if movies like Goonies, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Close Encounters aren’t too “old” in their ever so critical eyes.

Even if you didn’t grow up in 1979, Super 8 hits all the right beats of adolescence and the types of kids you probably hung around with; there’s the total geek, the pyro maniac, the shy kid who probably hasn’t hit puberty just yet and, of course, the dreamgirl who’s totally out of your league and you think you’d die if she even talked to you. The young cast, as headlined by newcomer Joel Courtney (as Joe), and rounded out by Riley Griffiths (Charles), Zach Mills, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basso, and Elle Fanning is terrific all around. All of the kids bring believable life to their characters and, frankly, I was pretty impressed to see such range coming from this bunch of actors. Their talent and relative anonymity is surely a treat given today's blockbuster standards of casting familiar faces from hit television shows.

Overall, Super 8 is a great summer movie and if it, along with 2009's Star Trek is any indication, we're all in for a treat as J.J. Abrams continues his flourishing career. See it!