This had everything I loved about movies growing up and it was an original screenplay which simply makes me glow with happiness. J.J. Abrams produced, wrote and directed a charming love letter to film and I hope its not the last. Let all who love cinema flock to see it and in that encourage more original stories to fill our multiplexes.
The cast is fantastic and some of the best performances I've seen this year come from this talented group of teens. The pacing is heavy at points but it's well shot, well written, well acted, and well...fun. It's good. It's genuinely good.
Its hard for science fiction themed scripts to strike the right balance between authenticity and fantasy. Your characters usually end up spending too much time with the 'explains-it-all' scientist or they never know what's going on. And I've seen those films and thought, “Okay, so I get the molecular bio-mechanics of the zombie transformation but why is there an armory in this high-school?” Or I end up rooting for the plant creatures and aliens because I could care less about the lead character, Jack Randomguy, with the rifle and cocky attitude. I'm glad to say Super 8 stayed out of the laboratory and stuck with the characters and their perspective.
Take the ride and like most of Abrams' projects you will be glad you trusted him, because when you walk out of the theater you'll have a new favorite film. Super 8 is a project clearly about the love of film and I adored it.
Sounds awesome! I like smart sci-fi movies that don't lose me . . . or help me root for the aliens because Joe Randomguy is alienating us more than they are . . . Nice review.
ReplyDeleteI like smart sci-fi movies too! I have to tell you that I didn't really have any desire to see this movie until I read your review, Joan. I might have to go and see it now.
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