I absolutely adore Super 8. The film is “mint.” J.J. Abrams’ masterpiece does three things particularly well: (1) beautifully tells a story, (2) has genuine, compelling characters and dialogue, and (3) pays tribute to film.
Abrams is an incredible story teller. He tells a clean, simple story. This film is a visual version of a novella — a short, simple, thorough story. Abrams does this exquisitely. The story is not overly complicated, and it is told with astute subtly. This is a story about how a group of kids reacts to an alien presence — nothing more or less. There are other elements to the tale, but they all work to enhance this central story and nothing is ever forgotten or left behind.
Abrams adds to the story-telling through subtlety. When the boys are filming the first scene with Alice, their reactions to Alice are done so well, without the need to overtly slam anything over your head. Their postures and eye contact are enough to see the way they each fall in love with her. He captures their emotion without having to spell it out, without beating the audience with it. Too often, modern films treat their audiences like morons, incapable of understanding. In the hands of a different director the boys may have hooted and hollered or exclaimed “she is hot” or “I am in love.” Abrams understands the subtle way to send the message to the audience. It is poetic.
Abrams also delivers great dialogue between the characters. The conversations between the kids are real. The conversations are not those of adults in the mouths of kids, but serious childishness. The kids bicker. They overreact. They emote. They wisecrack. All of this is done with an innocence that only children possess. He captures childhood with every word. It reminded me of my own interactions as a young boy. The characters Abrams develops and the acting of these young actors is realistic. You really believe that these are friends that happened to be captured on film. Even the film-within-a-film looks precisely the way a child would see a film. There is a true genuineness to these interactions.
Super 8 is a love letter to the great films from the late-60’s through the mid-80’s. This movie captures this love in the same way Cinema Paradiso did for a previous generation. Abrams recalls the great alien encounter films E.T., Cocoon, and Close Encounters. He captures the coming of age adventure tales Stand By Me and Goonies. This film echoes the monsters and tension of 80’s B-films. Even in the zombie film-within-a-film he references George A. Romero by naming the chemical factory after him. The puppy love between Joe and Alice hints at the John Hughes films of the 80’s. Super 8 is also a tribute to anyone who has ever totally fallen in love with movies. Anyone who sits in awe at the flickering images on a silver screen. Anyone who has gazed in marvel at a compelling tale in a drive-in. Anyone who dreams about the smell of movie popcorn. It is clear that these films and the movie experience drove Abrams to make movies and he perfectly pays tribute to them.
Super 8 may not be a film for everyone. But, I implore those who think it is only ok to see these other films and return to Super 8. The movie will speak to you. It will ring true.
Super 8 is an epic film. It sets a mood from start to finish that reads perfectly of the period it captures and the films to which it pays tribute.
PARSI VERDICT: Mint. Must watch.
See what the other half thinks: Haus’s review.
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