Super 8 [film]

Watching Super 8 feels like watching a movie when I was 12 years old. The setting is in the 1970s and the atmosphere has that vintage feeling. There's danger looming in the background. You don't know what it is. There are human stories involving the young characters and their parents, though some are simplistic and a bit of a cliché. Overall, it was an exciting cinematic experience. I kind of wish I were a 12 year old, though. I would be more fascinated by the movie. It'd be like watching Jurassic Park when I was a kid.

The story focuses on a group of kids in the 1970s. They are at a small train station to film their zombie movie using a Super 8 camera one evening. While they are shooting, a train derails. Lots of explosions and large flying objects remind us that it is actually a 2011 movie. Since this incident, strange things begin to happen in this rural town. Strange things… I better not spoil it. I'll leave you to watch it.

One thing that added to the thrill was that changes may happen abruptly at anytime during a scene. There were times when a character was speaking, a loud noise of some sorts cut the speech in mid-sentence. It then led to the next sequence. It made the pace exciting and made it feel more real too. (Note to the final film of Harry Potter, I expect something similar from you!)

The fast pace has its downside. Sometimes it felt like it was too easy. Especially because the main characters are 12 year olds, they seemed to have accomplished a lot in a short time while avoiding the adults and the danger. But it's a minor issue. It's fiction. Use a bit of imagination. And I'm sure I wouldn't find it odd if I'm 12 years old. Ah, I'm wishing I were young again.

Some scenes reminded me of Jurassic Park. There were weird noises and objects thrown into the air. You knew the danger was nearby but you didn't see it yet. I wished somebody would ask "where's the goat?" and a T-rex would appear. It didn't happen.

*spoiler alert*
The ending was the main thing that I felt let down. It was a Spiderman ending. Yes, I knew it was explained that they could do telepathic communication. But still… a Spiderman ending just made me feel that the situation was resolved too easily… sigh.

While I'm still in the spoiler section, I should take the chance and babble some more.
How unlucky can the sheriff be? By the way, his scene at the petrol station looked like Jurassic Park. Hehe.
"Drugs are so bad." Hahaha. That line made it even more like an old movie that was giving a lecture to the young audience.
One thing in my mind wasn't answered when I left the cinema. Where's Lucy? Did they find the boy's dog, Lucy?
*spoiler alert ends*

By the way, stay behind when the movie ends. The kids' zombie movie is shown when the credit rolls. Also, that kid who likes explosives is pretty funny for the whole movie. Hehe.

LC rates: 4 stars