By Kate Rodger
Filmmaker JJ Abrams made me happy on so many levels with Star Trek that the idea of a Speilberg-inspired sci-fi from Abrams just made me happy all over again.
I welcomed Super 8 onto the big screen with open arms.
You might not know too much about Super 8, and I'd like to try and keep it that way. The less you know, the better it is. A few useful hints to help you decide whether to shell out your hard-earned cash might be useful though, and these I can provide spoiler free.
Super 8 is set in 1979. It is the story of a group of friends who live in a small Ohio town, spending the summer making themselves a home movie. One night out filming, they witness a hellfire traincrash… and that's just the start of some weird goings-on.
From the outset it's clear this film worships at the altar of early Spielberg. From the premise, to the characters, to the heart of the storytelling, Abrams seems intent on delivering a love letter to his elder statesman of cinema, and he does so with care and with passion.
The first thing he delivers on point is an excellent young cast. Little-known Joel Courtney bursts onto the screen all doe-eyed and sweet and cool, and we love him in an instant. His mates take almost as little time to endear themselves to the audience, and Dakota Fanning's little sister Elle Fanning gets young hearts fluttering almost as quickly. The grown-ups are a mixed bag with grown-up issues, and fill their roles in this story nicely.
The entire feel of Super 8 is in keeping with its title, its old school, but with a JJ Abrams twist on its style. This I like.
On the downside, I felt the story wrapped itself up a little too quickly, the finale felt somehow rushed, and while I can totally appreciate its an epic adventure story, I felt things suddenly bolted across the finish line with a hiss and a roar, leaving me kind of going, say what?
I was super-hyped for Super 8 and no question it mostly delivers on its promise. Yes its a nostalgia trip, yes it worships the Spielberg classics, but thanks to the script and a great young cast, Super 8 still manages to feel fresh and exciting and was a huge amount of heartfelt fun.
One final hint? It has the best end credits in ages, make sure you stay for them.
A very worthy four stars.
3 News
Super 8
:: Director: JJ Abrams
:: Starring: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Gabriel Basso, Noah Emmerich
:: Running Time: 111 mins
:: Rating: M - contains violence and fantasy horror
:: Release Date: June 9, 2011
:: Trailer: Watch here
