Viewed in
2011 (2)
Formats
Movie theater (digital), DVD
Premise
Strange things are afoot in a 1970's Ohio town, and a group of kids hold the key to the mystery.
Loved
The balance between strong characters and well-executed excitement. Elle Fanning.
Thoughts
So far my favorite movie of the summer. It was smart, had characters I cared about, and entertained the heck out of my inner child and my inner adult.
Many have called it a tribute to countless Spielberg classics, but I see it as this generation's Goonies. It's less of a romp and way scarier, but today's audience is more sophisticated and cynical, so it fits.
What won me over was the characters. Every kid was distinguishable, unique, and likable. The writers smartly only showed backstory for the three main characters, keeping the story moving without obligatory subplots with the other members of the team. In addition, they bothered to give the parents and the antagonist some personality. All this attention to detail evoked innocent childhood memories, evoked some tender moments and emotional payoffs.
The acting top-down was fantastic. Each child actor performed naturally with charm and gravitas. But Elle Fanning just blew everyone out of the water. I did not expect such a complicated, dark performance in such a film, but holy eff she was an awesome presence. Her career has not been as established as her older sister, but this was a heck of a way to introduce herself to the masses. I look forward to a cinema world dominated by the Fannings.
To be nitpicky, while the writing was strong, the plot was slightly predictable, with certain moments you knew was fated to occur. But these moments were so wonderfully executed that I forgot these slight flaws. Also, turns out I wasn't the only one distracted by director J.J. Abrams' lens flares on steroids.
I highly recommend Super 8 for its characters, exciting entertainment, strong acting, and Elle Fanning. At the same time, it made a great tribute to the unbreakable/fearless spirit of (movie) kids, whether it's making a zombie flick or saving their town. Too bad I didn't get a chance to see it in IMAX.
