Actual grade: 9/10
(For a full explanation of my grading system, check out this post.)
I have been anticipating the release of SUPER 8 since the first teaser was unveiled during last summer's season. The quick shots of a violent train derailment followed by...something...pounding its way out of one of the wrecked cars was short, mystifying, and had me instantly hooked. I couldn't believe I had to wait a year for the film to come out. I have eagerly devoured every article, interview, poster, trailer and press release since then. JJ Abrams is one of my favorite figures in the world of entertainment today. LOST is my all-time favorite show, FRINGE is one of my current favorites, and I've loved every film he's been involved in, both as a producer (CLOVERFIELD) and director (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III and STAR TREK). SUPER 8, Abrams' third feature-directing effort, is also his first completely original feature film, his prior two having both been installments in well-established franchises. Oh, and it also happened to be a collaboration with one of the greatest filmmakers of all time: Steven Spielberg. It's easy to say it was one of my most anticipated movies ever, and my expectations could barely have been higher (I say barely, and gave an expected grade of 9, because even I would never be foolish enough to expect a film to be completely perfect).
And boy...was the wait worth it. Abrams and Spielberg prove to be a formidable team. You can feel the love and very personal effort that both filmmakers contributed to this collaboration. SUPER 8 has been widely reported as reminiscent of Spielberg's own alien-themed works, E.T. and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, so I won't delve too much into that, other than to say that these reports are correct. The youthful energy, the focus on a group of kids trying to make sense of other-worldly phenomena, and the emotional resonance of heartbreak, young love, and growing up are all present here, just as they were in those films that inspired it.
In a world where you already know almost everything about a film even before you step foot in the theatre, due to leaked set photos and script pages, spoilers from advanced screenings, and even tweets from extras on the set, to be successfully held in the dark for so long is a thrilling experience. And no one does it quite like Abrams. He is the master of suspense, of what he likes to call the "mystery box." From my first viewing of the first teaser almost a year ago, to when the lights came up Thursday night as the credits rolled, I would rate the experience a 10/10. As for the film itself, it's not perfect, but it's pretty darn great. With a stand-alone actual film grade of 8/10, I would average out the entire package to a 9/10, meaning that if you, like me, have been rabidly anticipating this film as a fan of JJ Abrams, you will probably love it. If you just happen to wander into the theatre and see this film, you will still love it, but perhaps not quite at the same level.
What makes this film not perfect is perhaps the thing that non-fans of Abrams are most looking forward to: the monster. In the first two-thirds of the film, the monster is little-seen (much like the shark in JAWS), and is often legitimately frightening. But once we hit the climax, and get to know the monster better, the answers we receive can be underwhelming to some. Some may wish it was left more explicitly in the dark -- others may wish that clearer answers were given. Either way, the monster is nowhere close to the most compelling part of the film. The reason this did not bother me is because I was expecting it. LOST being my favorite show, I knew that JJ Abrams was a superb crafter of mystery and suspense...but that if he has any weakness, it's in following that suspense through to a conclusion that is satisfying to everyone (though in his defense, he had very limited involvement in that show after its first season).
Abrams was recently quoted in a New York Times article as saying "There's no answer to the [mystery] box that's going to make you happy. But, the key is to use the box as a bait, to grab people and bring them into one story, only to introduce another. In Lost, the island was the lure, but the characters were the glue, and most viewers, [I] venture, were content to have spent time with them, no matter how it concluded." The same thing is true of SUPER 8. The monster is the hook to get people in the theatre, but the real story is about the kids. This is why the underwhelming monster didn't disappoint me -- it was never about the monster.
At its heart, SUPER 8 is the story of six kids growing up in a small town, struggling with overbearing fathers, family tragedies, first love, and the demands of finishing their own low-budget zombie movie on an 8mm camera. These kids are the genuine revelation of this film, not the secrets of the monster. Each one is real, unique, and expertly casted. I can genuinely say I have rarely seen such excellent casting of young actors in a film. They could have easily blended into one indistinct mash of teenage angst and ambition, but instead each one had his or her own unique voice that made them stand out. I would be hard-pressed to say which one was the best, although Elle Fanning, as the lone girl in the group, especially shines. She was given perhaps the most complicated role of any of the kids and executes it masterfully. There is real depth of emotion behind her innocent face, something that is especially remarkable given that, at 14, she is the youngest in the group. But none of this is to say the rest of the kids are not amazing. Ryan Lee, as the overexcitable pyromaniac, almost steals the entire movie. Riley Griffiths, as the film-within-the-film's director, is outwardly bossy while hiding a more insecure interior. And Joel Courtney, the protagonist, is believably confused and torn while simultaneously wavering between the tragedy of his mother's recent passing, the struggle of dealing with his distant father, the raging hormones of his newfound crush, and the wide-eyed wonder of the supernatural events surrounding him. The rapport these kids have together, the snappy dialogue, the witty retorts, the chummy interactions, well-intentioned bullying, and ultimately love and support of one another rings utterly true. I found myself getting completely swept away in their journey, feeling like a kid again myself, staring with them in wonder as trains crashed and soldiers invaded and objects flew through the air. Perhaps I so closely identified with these kids because I too used to film movies with my friends when I was their age. But I believe that whether or not you took part in this particularly nerdy past-time, you can still identify with their exploits.
Speaking of train crashes, this review would not be complete without at least a brief mention of that sequence. It was one of the most breathtaking, violent, explosive, and well-executed actions scenes in recent memory. It felt simultaneously realistic and over-the-top, and, like, the characters witnessing it, I think I barely breathed until it was over. If you're going to this film for action, that sequence alone will make the ticket price worthwhile.
In a summer where almost every single major release is based on a book (Harry Potter) or a comic book (Thor, X-Men, Green Lantern, Captain America) or a toy (Transformers) or a theme park ride (Pirates) or at the very least is a sequel/prequel (Hangover Part II, Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), an original, well-crafted work of art is a breathtaking experience -- one that is rarely seen anymore and therefore undervalued. After seeing this film, it's going to be even harder to forget that films can be actual labors of love and return to the usual processed, pre-packaged noisy fun that has become the norm. I cannot thank JJ Abrams enough for letting me taste true originality, and for that alone, SUPER 8 receives a 9/10 from me. Never mind the fact that it's also a damn good film.
PS - Unlike half the people in attendance in my theatre, be sure to remain seated through the credits. You get to see the film the kids have been working on in its entirety... And it's brilliant. The child actors themselves wrote most of the scenes and the sense of improvisation, absurdity, and budding talent are all superbly crafted in this short sequence. Don't miss it.
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