Review of film: “SUPER 8” (an IMAX Experience; produced by Steven Spielberg )

2011, 06-10:

Review of film: “SUPER 8”  (an IMAX Experience)

One of the Producers of this film is STEVEN SPIELBERG.  It’s long been known that he started-out shooting SUPER 8 movies as a child, & this film (directed by J.J. ABRAMS who directed the “STAR TREK” prequel) revolves around OTHER children who follow in Steven’s “footsteps”...   

...  The time is 1979.  Joe Lamb (JOEL COURTNEY) is a 12-ish kid living in an Ohio town called Lillian.  His father, Jackson (KYLE CHANDLER, from TV’s “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS” & “EARLY EDITION”) is a deputy sheriff.  They are both in a very sad state, as Joel’s mother has just been killed in an accident at a steel plant in town...

...  Joel is best friends with overweight Charles Kaznyk (RILEY GRIFFITHS) who lives across the street.  Riley’s family is large and noisy, with a number of brothers and sisters, including older sister Jen (AMANDA “AJ” MICHALKA).  His father (JOEL McKINNON MILLER) & mother (JESSICA TUCK) warmly treat Joel like a member of their family, always inviting him to dinner, etc....

...  Riley wants to be a film director & writer.  He’s recruited other kids to HELP him with a planned movie project:  Joel was in charge of makeup & Riley’s cameraman.  Braces-wearing Cary (RYAN LEE) is handling “special effects” like blowing-up things (since he likes playing with FIRE)...

...  Martin (GABRIEL BASSO) is lead actor, playing an eyeglass-wearing detective in love with a certain girl.  That lass is pretty blonde-haired Alice Dainard (ELLE FANNING), who Joel is clearly (but shyly) ATTRACTED to...  Preston (ZACH MILLS) plays a “background” actor... 

...  It’s summertime, and the kids are happily working on filming a MOVIE written by headset-wearing Riley.  They’re rehearsing at an abandoned train station in town, with Riley very willfully directing Gabriel & Elle in their scene...

...  Riley is very excited when he sees a distant freight train approaching the station, feeling it’ll add an air of great “AUTHENTICITY” to their shooting.  So, he hurriedly instructs Joel & the others to prepare to actually FILM the planned scene using his Eumig Super 8 camera handled by Joel...

...  As they get ready to film, Joel is shocked to see someone in a truck preparing to drive onto the TRAIN TRACKS right in the PATH of the oncoming train.  But, he’s unable to “point-out” that fact to the others who are busy working on their SCENE in the station that’s become increasingly noisy due to the approaching train...

...  The train crashes INTO the truck on the tracks, & that causes a massive domino-effect DERAILING of the train cars, right near where the KIDS are filming... 

...  The increasing disaster causes the kids to start RUNNING for their lives, & abandoning the tripod-held Eumig film CAMERA which keeps FILMING the (exceptionally impressive) ongoing train wreck...

...  Wanting to be helpful, the kids --  led by Joel – try to see if they can help the driver of the TRUCK.  He turns out to be alive, but takes out a weapon & “WARNS” them about something “dangerous” involved with the train...

...  The kids eventually “look over” the train wreck, & at one point see a strange unexplained strong “MOVEMENT” on the “other side” of some cars...  

...  Joel at one point takes home one of the strange pointy “Rubik’s cube” type items that have fallen out of boxes that were on the train...  Is that a “WISE” decision (in a world of “sci-fi” movies)?!...

...  Shortly after the train wreck, “STRANGE things” start happening, such as the disappearance of the town’s sheriff Pruitt (BRETT RICE), who’s “pulled” away by some unseen “violent” creature...  OTHER people & animals soon start vanishing...

...  Even more “suspicious”, a large MILITARY presence soon appears in the town, led by an officer named Nelec (NOAH EMMERICH) & his right-hand assistant Overmyer (RICHARD T. JONES)...

...  Riley & Joel are eager to see the developed version of their FILM shot of the train wreck, & continue their efforts at shooting MORE footage for Riley’s movie (using a Super 8 camera owned by Kyle), even right near some military men who are for some reason carting away things from a house... 

...  Joel clearly grows increasingly more “taken” by Elle...  But, her dad Louis (RON ELDARD) has been on the “outs” with Joel’s dad Kyle (who “blames” him for things like the death of his wife), & Ron tells Elle he wants her to stay AWAY from Joel...

...  There’s clearly “SOMETHING” (“ALIEN”-like?) roaming around the area, & Kyle finds it maddening at the way the military refuses to honestly “TELL” people the truth about it...  Things grow ever more “tense” when ELLE is suddenly “removed” from the scene...    

...  Why is the military holding the Professor who crashed into the train as a prisoner?...  What will the kids’ Super 8 film “SHOW” about the train wreck?...  Is there actually an ALIEN involved with the crash?...  If so, what “IS” it, what does it “WANT”, & how can the kids & Kyle “DEAL” with it?...

...  What will happen when the military tries to hold onto the KIDS?... 

...  What will happen to vanished Elle, & will Joel or anyone else be able to HELP her & the other vanished creatures?...  What on earth is “GOING ON” in Lillian, Ohio?!...    

...  While the movie has some weak plot “anomalies”, they’re very minor...  This film sports a cleverly set-up scenario, with very EFFECTIVE acting, impressive SPECIAL EFFECTS, and an unusually-successful “nostalgic” type MOOD (of “simpler” times) in the midst of handling “difficulties”... 

...  Since “Super 8” is SUPER-DUPER overall, I’m rating it as 8.5 out of 10 stars...

[  NOTE:  You can easily  SHARE  this Posting with your friends or family by sending them an e-mail LINK via clicking on the “M” button in the lower left-hand corner under "THE VOICE OF SILENCE"...  ]

  (o_
   /\ 

= = =    [ 4 B&W I&D ]   …  ( <>  ^  <> )  ...