SophieKitty7
The story was interesting, kids finding something out by mistake, being the only ones who knew other sides of the story, yea fineProblem was that usually movies give the point of the movie before half the movie is through, they usually know what they are fighting or what they are supposed to findbut in this?
I was waiting for the kids to get superpowers throughout most of the movie (mainly because of the movie name......)While those kids looked like they achieved this and that, in reality NONE of what they did, impact the ending even a little bit, it would have ended the exact same way if they were gone!
That alien was building the machine throughout the movie without anyone noticing, in the end the kids were just close enough to witness the machine being turned on, within a minute the spaceship got built through that machine, and it flew off, the kids had nothing to do with the outcome of the movie, it really bugs meSuperpowers i thought a bit too because a little car was able to stop and derail a huge heavy military train, and the driver of that car didnt even die from all those train-wagons exploding and flying around (and of course the most obvious, the impact with the train), because of that i thought that he had superpowers and couldnt die so fast... hoped for whatever was in the trainwreck, to come out, infect the kids with superpowers and THAT would be interesting xDBUT
all in all, the movie was still fun to watch, a little scarier/darker than some other action movies, but not enough to be a horror movie (even though there is 2-3 jumpscares and some scary silence at times making you expect a jumpscare)
Monster scariness comparable to... the fish from The Host, cant think of another example for now.If you dont mind a movie where the main characters only work as "Watchers" and "Explainers" of what happens, then go on watch the movie, its good
Chris Darvo
The amazing thing about JJ Abrams is that his tastes are always right on. He knows what to say and how to say it. Super 8 is very much it's own story despite the fact that it pays homage to a Spielberg classic: ET - the Extra Terrestrial.Don't listen to the haters who say JJ can't come up with original ideas. The truth is he can and he does. I felt great sympathy for the main character from the beginning, a very different kind of connection than the audience has with Elliot in ET. Joe Lamb is a 14 year old boy coping with his mother's tragic death caused by the incompetence of a drunk. He copes with it by spending time with his friends as they make a super 8 movie they wish to enter into a local film festival. Charles and the other kids witness a train crash while filming at a station, and afterwards we are in for a hell of a ride.The story ends up being very poignant when the creature looks into Joe's mind and sees that children do not hold prejudice of adults, and this aspect is why I give this movie a 10 out of 10. Bright, solid, and massive. It reminds us that we as adults should strive for this more, and the two fathers of the main characters end up making amends with one another. Thank you JJ for yet another memorable cinematic experience. Rating: 10
westley34
This movie could have been really good but there are major, major problems. The train wreck was way over done. For one thing, at one point early on in the train crash the train was wrecking behind where the kids were running but they were reacting to something in front of them, which I guess was the train wrecking, but then how could it wreck on both sides of them? Then there is the fact that the guy that drove the pick up into the train caused the train to crash in such a dramatic way. It would take a train running into another train head on to create anything even remotely similar to what we saw (even then the way the trains were flying was probably 20 times more spectacular by far than any real train wreck in history). Then how does the man in the pick up not only survive running his pick up into what must have been an extremely fast moving train for it to have crashed the way it did, his vehicle also was shown to explode into a large ball of fire on impact. And so not only does he live, he is well enough to talk and move his arms around? Incredibly unrealistic. I also have major problems the intense contrasting in volume in this movie. You have to turn the TV up loud to hear what they are saying then something designed to startle the audience happens and the volume suddenly becomes a thousand times louder. Its annoying as heck. I won't blindly like what should be a good movie with so much nonsense thrown into it.
Screen_Blitz
J.J Abrams's Super 8 is not just a film that feasts the eyes with chord-striking special effects and visuals, it is also a love letter to the nostalgic days of Steven Spielberg classics such as'E.T: The Extra Terrestrial' and 'Close Encounters of The Third Kind'. This investment is greatly paid by the collaboration of visionary director Abrams and acclaimed Hollywood mogul Steven Spielberg who serves as the producer behind this summer spectacle. Channeling with both emotionally resonating storytelling and a powerful surplus of visuals that echoes the style of the aforementioned films, the influence of Spielberg's works definitely bleeds through. Although Abrams incorporates plenty of elements that defuse it's originality, it is difficult not to admire what a dazzling vision he delivers in this science-fiction piece. Set in 1979 in a fictional town of Lillian, Ohio, this film focuses on 14-year old Joe Lamb (played by Joel Courtney), a young lad coping with the loss of his mother who was killed in a train accident. With his relationship with his deputy father Jackson (played by Kyle Chandler) grown distant, Joe escapes his grief by filming monster movies with his friends Charles (played by Riley Griffiths), Cary (played by Ryan Lee), Martin (played by Gabriel Basso), and Preston (played by Zach Mills). Later joining the group is Alice Dainard (played by Elle Fanning) who's mother was also killed in the accident. While filming their Super 8 film at an abandoned train station, the children witness a horrific train crash that not devastates the train station, but leads to some unnatural events that begin to threaten the town.The leverage of Steven Spielberg's classic works is greatly sprinkled throughout the picture, from the emotionally stimulating narrative, to the eye-striking scenery. Abrams and Spielberg both effectively captures the innocence of childhood through the story that not only echoes the vibrant atmosphere of 'E.T' but also their passion of filmmaking that grew on them as children. The premise follows the lead character as he escapes into a world of filmmaking in the wake of the tragedy that struck him and his father, and emotional tax it puts on their relationship serves as the emotional crux of the story. He ends up finding levity in making short films with his rag-tag team of friends who's fun in greatly disrupted by when a bombastic train crash, a scene that kicks off the movie's special effects mayhem. With train cars blowing up and crashing in every direction, this scene not only exhibits Abrams's astonishing talent for effects but sets the whole mystery plot in motion for the terrifying chaos that is about to come. As the story advances, chaos lurks throughout the picture, and Abrams successfully delivers a hodgepodge of suspense-ridden thrills and stimulating visuals that keeps the story moving. In the final act, which pays a heavy homage to one of Spielberg's most acclaimed films, Abrams's visionary style greatly pays off. While some may argue that the film towers nostalgia over substance and plot, it is hard to ignore the ambition that Abrams brings to the table. As for the performances, the young actors do a swell job in their roles as do the adults in their slightly more minor roles, none of which truly stand out. Super 8 is a dazzling science-fiction spectacle that grips with exhilarating special effects, visual imagery, and an emotionally touching narrative that strikes at the heart. Most importantly, the film also makes an enthralling achievement at reminding people what it was like to be child. In conclusion, this cinematic achievement inspires hope for another Abrams/Spielberg collaboration.