Super 8

Super 8

I don't usually try to judge a movie as soon as I saw it - far too often the emotional impact of a movie, either good or bad, can influence my opinion of it. But ... since I am sitting here with a broken fot and nothing to do, well ... this will fill a bit of time.

Let's start by saying this is not E.T. all over again, instead I found myself thinking back to the first time I saw Stephen King's "Stand By Me". And I think that's a good thing. This film is centered around 5 kids, their 8mm camera and that "life adventure" that occurs around them - not unlike the group of boys in Stand By Me and the events that transpire during that fateful summer.

The film was well written for the most part. Unfortunately, I felt a bit let down towards the end. For the first 3/4 of the movie, I was truly enjoying it - the last 1/4 however ... it seems to me that the writers either got bored, or lost their creativity. No plot holes were created, but it still felt like someone took the easy way out. I did enjoy the "conspiracy factor" that was written into this movie ... I imagine the "tin foil hat club" will get a bit of a boost from this movie.

The one major drawback with this movie is that it is a "darK" movie. By that, I mean it seems to feature a fair amount of night, or otherwise dimly lit scenes. I understand the need & desire for this - but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Casting was good. The kids in this movie were very believable in their roles. Adults too, but they are expected to be good at what they do.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie. It was well worth the time to watch it, and it will be watched a few more times.

Rating: 8.5

I thought the kids were outstanding. As a matter of fact, if I were writing a review, my thoughts would very much align with yours, though I would be a little less forgiving for the bizarre, out-of-place ending. I honestly do think it was bizarre and out of place. True, it doesn't contradict anything from the rest of the movie, but it felt like a perfect example of deus ex machina.

Yes, I agree completely. Sadly though, I think it was what I was expecting ... Speilberg seems to really like his "wrapped up in a bow" endings, and with some movies, like ET, it works well - in this movie, I could think of a few better ways to end it.

given a night to sleep on it, it almost feels now like they realized that they spent too long setting things up for the ending. I believe I would have enjoyed another 1/2 hour added to the movie if they had done more with the apex of the plot and it's ultimate conclusion. As it stands though, it felt like the scene "in the lair" should have been the start of something great.

I still enjoyed this movie though ... but it lacked brilliance by having two great stories mixed together - without letting either one shine. I think they story of the kids and their adventure could have been an excellent movie on it's own, minus the alien ... same as the History teacher's story could ahve been very good, minus a leading role by the kids ...

The Stand By Me comparison is a good one, come to think of it. Though I never read or saw Stand By Me, it's a Stephen King story. And this felt like a Stephen King story.

I have to admit, getting to see the kid's movie in its completion at the end... now THAT was good movie-making J.J. Well done! (This is a serious comment, because it felt for once like a movie maker actually gave the audience what they wanted when it was tossed in there for the credits.)

I agree. The kids production was great. And showign it during the credits was a very nice book end to the opening scene.

As for Stand By Me ... I've seen it & read it - and I preferred the movie. As much as I lilked it, I haven't watched it in years now ... and it was certainly not what I would have expected from King either ... I think "tame" is a good term for it if compared to most of his other works.

I'll have to pick it up sometime. It is a short story, isn't it? Some of his best works are stories most people have never read because they're not novels.

Yeah .. it was a novella titled "The Body".