From the first scenes in Super 8, I could tell I was going to love this movie... alot. Wrapped in early 80's nostaglia, it was liking getting a 2hr cinematic gift. A trip back to my childhood and my favorite Speilberg movies of the era; Goonies, ET, Poltergeist and a little of JJ Abrams "Cloverfield".
The story is centered around a group of young teens spending a summer making a zombie movie together after the death of main character Joe's (Joel Courtney) mom in an accident at the plant where she and Alice's (Elle Fanning) dad (the always good Ron Eldard) work. Joe's dad wants him to go to a 6 week summer camp, as he's having trouble dealing with being a full time dad, but he is determined to stay home and hang with his group of six friends and help finish the movie they started before his mom died. Right away you feel a sense of deja vu watching their suburban neighborhood unfold... the way all the kids hang out at each others houses, enter through bedroom windows and staying out until dark only to sneak out again later to meet up. Trying to guess the year this all takes place in is half the fun (hey! theres a rubik's cube.. but no microwave). It is on such a night that the movie sets up the real plotline.. while filming a scene for their movie at a railroad station, where Charles, wanting to get "production value" wants to shoot a scene while the actual train is coming in.
While doing so, Joe observes a car drive onto the tracks and the train derail and explode. Scared and confused, they are told by the driver of the truck (a teacher at their school), to never speak of what happened. No one can forget or believe what happened though, and afterwards, very strange things start to happen in their small town. Cars become mangled for no reason, dogs disappear and then finally people. I loved the stories within the story, especially the touching interaction between Alice and Joe who devlop a sweet friendship/first love during the making of their movie. Fanning has the ability to speak volumes with just her eyes and has the same wise beyond her years persona as her older sister Dakota. There is a scene with Joe and Alice watching old home movies of his mom that literally brought me to tears.
There is plenty of humor throughout as well, courtesy mostly of bossy Charles who is the director and writer of the movie their shooting. His constant stress about getting just the right shot as well as his interaction with a hapless stoner who works at the local film store is priceless. After the strange happenings begin, the remainder of the movie is the search for it's origin and why things just aren't adding up. Yes, this is a definite homage to Speilberg films of the 80's Abrams is making, but I didn't mind for a minute, and neither will you. It's a great time to revisit and a reminder of when films were better at showing the angst of preteens in a funny yet still respectful way, with no nudity or cliches. Make sure to stay until after the credits roll, you'll be rewarded with a viewing of their finished super 8 zombie movie and it is well worth the wait.
5 out of 5
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