Super 8 Review (5/5)

There's a reason I've waited to review this until the final post on the blog before its two week hiatus, why I decided to put everything else first- I've been saving the best till last. Not just the best film of the week (although when the only other release in the last seven days has been Mr Popper's Penguins, that isn't hard to acheive), nor the best film of the entire Summer. Nope, Super 8 is the best film I have seen this year so far. Seriously. It's hard to know where to start, but put simply it is the perfect homage to classic science-fiction movies, boasting a cast of the best Hollywood kid actors I've ever seen, stunning production values and a plot whose adherence to much-used narrative structures surprisingly completely works in its favour. If you haven't heard already, the premise is that a freight train carrying extraterresterial cargo from Area 51 derails, and the alien creature it's carrying escapes to menace a nearby inhabited town. As with many other Steven Spielberg/JJ Abrams projects, though, that isn't really the core of the story, it's not what gives Super 8 the sheer heart and soul that I love to see and that set it well apart from anything else released this Summer. Where this comes in is through the story of Joe Lamb, a boy who has recently lost his mother, and his lovable band of friends. Joe and his crush Alice Dainard each have well-developed back stories, and what's best about the script and direction with regards to these is that, as in the old days, they're handled not by flashback but rather dialogue, scenery and simply in the actors' faces at times. That's a strangely refreshing aspect for a modern day film to inherit, and this sense of innovation that comes from 'stealing' from past classics is present throughout, and is a key part of what makes this one such a winner. It's very hard to explain how and why the intimate, low-key drama, the jump-out-of-your-seats shock moments, the heartwarming bravery of Joe and pals and the retro vibe that comes from the film's 1979 setting are so effectively executed, but sufficed to say anyone whose idea of a good or great film isn't just one filled with action setpieces- I began to realise the difference of viewer opinion when people came out thrilled by the latest Harry Potter and Transformers, and I was left wondering what all the huge fuss was about- will be absolutely captivated throughout this. And I could go on...the soundtrack, the script as a whole, the CGI, the superb way in which the creature is never fully shown until the film's climax (and not fully even then), these elements are all handled masterfully, only adding to the already thrilling experience. Don't get me wrong, it's not the perfect film: there are a few military scenes with fairly stereotypical officers and crazed scientists, and the explosive denounement feels somewhat at odds with the relatively calm nature of the film (but the fight isn't dwindled on long enough to detract from it all), however is any film really going to ever be heralded as being perfect? Of course not! Super 8 is, nevertheless, one of the best films I've seen in the last few years, certainly the best of 2011 so far (and it's going to be a hard one to beat) and easily the standout best flick of the Summer. I gave Harry Potter full marks based on the other films in that franchise, and said Part 2 was only really an amazing viewing experience when combined with Part 1 (that scoring might as well have been a spur of the moment, hype-induced move, likely to quell a potential uprising from angrered fans), but I had no such trouble awarding this stunning masterpiece of a movie the same score, and it feels much more deserved of it upon reflection. If you see one movie this Summer...heck, if you see one movie this year, make it Super 8.