“Not Very Super”
No, it’s not the 7th sequel to the Rainn Wilson comedy “Super” from earlier this year! “Super 8” is the hotly anticipated new sci-fi film from director J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. The setting is Ohio in 1979 when teenagers made their amateur movies on Super 8mm film, unlike today’s easy-to-operate digital video cameras.
“Close Encounters Of The Third Kind”, “E.T.”, “Raiders Of The Lost Ark”, “Jaws” and “The Sugarland Express” are just some of the Spielberg films that have inspired Abrams to make this film. Skilled as he is, Abrams is no Spielberg. “Super 8” sadly lacks the awe-inspring excitement of Spielberg’s films. It’s a fine imitation, but there’s nothing like the real thing.
The plot is like “The Goonies” meets “Close Encounters”. A group a 14-year olds set out to make a zombie movie with their Super 8 camera. During the filming of one scene, they accidentally capture a train derailment in the background. The train that has derailed was carrying an alien being which has now escaped and is terrorizing the town. This is a great set-up for a mystery in which the clues to whatever is happening might lie within the frames of that super 8 film. But, unfortunately I wasn’t asked to write this film, so that’s not what happens! Instead, the kids’ film itself plays no further role in Abrams’ film after the alien is set loose. From there, it just becomes like a weird sci-fi version of Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” leading to a laughably bad conclusion that seems more in line with bad B-movies than with anything Spielberg has ever directed.
The kids in the cast are mostly unknowns and all are quite good. Elle Fanning proves that she’s on her way to becoming a better actress than her sister Dakota.
The soundtrack is filled with authentic 70s hits. But in striving for 70s authenticity, it’s strange that Abrams’ movie is louder than a rock concert. Hey, Abrams, movies in the 70s were never this loud. The noise is an annoying distraction.
Another oddly annoying distraction is the constant appearance of blue-lines flashing across the screen from lights that hit the camera lens the wrong way. This just makes the film look defective. Shame on the cinematographer.
The best moment in “Super 8” happens over the closing credits when we get to see the full-length Super 8 film the kids have made. Intentionally amateurish and simply wonderful.
DVD Double Feature:
Today’s teens will probably like “Super 8” more than I did. That’s because most of them never saw the original Spielberg films that serve as Abrams’ template. But they would be wise to stay home and watch Spielberg’s 1977 masterpiece “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” before they go to see “Super 8”. Richard Dreyfuss plays a man (in Ohio) who has a close encounter with an alien being. Let Spielberg show you how this sort of movie should be made.
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