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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Super 8 – a film review


Like an old home made movie made by geeky kids, which adults scraped off the shelf and revamped by adding the newest special effects, Super 8 is a patchwork of stories that seem somewhat incoherent.  Nonetheless, this film is a very entertaining and thrilling experience that best compares to riding an old rickety rollercoaster.

Directed by J.J. Abrams and expertly produced by Steven Spielberg, this summer science fiction tale is set in the small American town circa 1979.  Engaging to all ages, but especially to the teens, this summer attraction involves average American families and appeals to the majority of movie going audience.

The plot is simple - average middle school kids get into trouble by doing what kids do best – making a zombie movie.  Unfortunately, while filming one of the sequences, kids end up being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They witness a mysterious train wreck, which they should not have seen and engage in the fearless quest to uncover the cause of the incident.  In the mean time they continue to make their zombie movie and eventually get involved with a life threatening alien, whose presence in the small town throws it into turmoil.

Next follow series of somewhat disjointed zombie makeup mesh ups, various shoot outs, explosions, auto chases, and finally alien destruction. The film is a typical Spielberg and is best compared to any of his films from decades ago. Despite this familiarly frivolous Spielberg sci-fi nature, Super 8 portrays teenage antics with admirable candor, which stirs up nostalgia of being a kid.

Don’t miss the end credits, which contain the final version of the zombie film kids managed to put together despite the many obstacles in their way.

I give it 4 out 5 stars.

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