Super 8 (2011)

    

            Super 8 (2011), written and directed by J. J. Abrams, adds humor and sentimentality into one’s monster movie collection.  The story is set in 1979, and is based around a group of kids filming a zombie movie during their summer vacation.  As the group films a scene by the train tracks just outside of town, they witness a major train wreck involving an air force train and a white pickup truck.  The wreck is devastating, causing massive damage and plenty of explosions.  This was one of the best parts of the film, in my humble opinion.  The beginning was decent, as far as opening a window into the world of these characters, but the train wreck actually makes you sit up and pay attention. 

            The acting was acceptable, and there were definitely some good performances from the younger thespians.  The adults in the film were often sort of cheesy, but the younger actors seem to balance that out.  Some of the better performances included Elle Fanning (as Alice Dainard) and Joel Courtney (as Joe Lamb).  I was also particularly taken with Ryan Lee’s character Cary, as he just seemed like a fun friend to have –he has a fireworks obsession that is both quirky and charming (or maybe I can just relate).  I couldn’t decide if the weakest link was Kyle Chandler as Mr. Lamb or AJ Michalka as Jen Kaznyk, but both were pretty horrible. 

            I’ve read a lot of criticism online due to apparent errors in timeline.  One critic notes that Rubik’s Cubes weren’t out in 1979, and another mentions that Walkman’s were not yet popular in the States that year either.  Though these mistakes seem like valid mistakes, the truth is only off by about a year and I won’t bust Abram’s balls about it.  It is highly nostalgic of the time period, even with its nod to ET (1982), and captures the charm of the era – something people can resonate with.  The plot and main characters of the movie are somewhat juvenile, but I believe this is what the director was going for when making the film.  It is supposed to feel nostalgic and somewhat nerdy.  I sort of felt like I was watching a cross between Stephen King’s IT and ET, with better graphics and a bigger budget. 

          I like monster movies, and this monster was definitely unique in that it was not something typically depicted as coming from outer space.  The telepathy was a nice yet somewhat predictable touch, but the idea of the materials that could turn into other materials (for the space ship) was intriguing.  Number of killers? Two.  Body Count?  At least 15.  Boob count? Zero.  Cheap thrills?  One or two.  Actual creeps endured?  Two or three.  Entertainment?  Absolutely.  Raven’s Scream Meter says: 3 out of 5 screams.  Enjoy this 79 throwback, it’s got great graphics, lots of explosions (my inner Beavis was screaming “Fire! Fire!!!” throughout the film), and a cool alien.  What’s not to like?