Review: Super 8

Charming. Action packed. Heart felt. Well done. Dichotomous...

I enjoyed Super 8, it was very well done, for sure. But it's dichotomy comes from walking the line between being a kids movie and an adults movie and, it seems to want to be both, but I felt it ends up being neither. 'Goonies' (1985) was a kids movie, it had some adult elements, but ultimately it was a (great) kids movie. Super 8 had a noticeable amount of f-bombs, not too graphic but significant violence, and a slightly more complex/adult story and plot. The kid movie comes during the credits, it's the actual 'super 8' film the kids in the movie made. It was really cute. Great production value -- which will be funny once you see the movie.

'Super 8' for me was a cross between 'Goonies' and 'War of the Worlds'. It works. It's very well done. All the kids do a great job. The look of the film is top notch. The action is great. JJ Abrams also goes for a Jaws / Godzilla motif by not revealing the alien until deep into the movie... I have to admit, I was a little disappointed by the alien. It was overhyped for me, and the look of it didn't work for me.

In the end, it's a good movie. My expectations were really high -- because of all the hype -- and I have to say, I'm not quite sure if they were met. While I liked the movie, I was not "blown away" or walking away saying it was a 'cinematic achievement' or instant classic.

I'm a big fan of JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg and, with all that said, they know how to make a fun summer movie.