With “Super 8”, J.J. Abrams has captured the spirit of growing up and flawlessly unified it with a gripping, action-packed, science-fiction excitement that pays homage to the early works of Steven Spielberg and films like “Stand By Me” and “The Goonies” without ever losing its spark of originality. As the movie is dated back to 1979, Abrams has just presented it perfectly with the set up and costumes, all reflecting the 1970’s. Besides, mystery, action and coming of age drama there is also a perfect sense of humor in the movie. And while there are exciting action sequences and perfectly crafted special effects to complement them, there is also a rather sweet and sad side story that stays just on the right side of saccharine.The casting of the teens is a stroke of genius. All the personalities in the group come together brilliantly and each one’s best qualities being heightened in interaction with the others. Some in the most impressive performances are Abrams’ lead, Joel Courtney, who perfectly nails the purity of youth peppered with the dawning of adulthood for such a junior actor, Elle Fanning who shows incredible acting chops in her ability to portray the pain of a broken home balanced with the uncontainable teen tendency to want to wander into life’s mysteries, and Ryan Lee who’s a great source of comic relief and delivers some of the film’s best lines. Meanwhile, Courtney’s father is played by television star Kyle Chandler in his best work on film ever.
Also the best part about “Super 8” is how it keeps the escaped creature neatly under wraps until the final act. The trailers alone have done a really good job at never revealing anything more than you need to know. The film itself keeps the momentum going by hiding what the creature looks like throughout the fantastic ride. You'll get a snack or two here and there, but the plot keeps up the suspense by nourished the curiosities. But beyond that, seeing everything happen through the kids' eyes and feeling like you're member of their small squad. That's a feeling that comes with great storytelling and engaging characters. So remember, the less you know about Super 8’s plot, the more thrilling the cinematic experience.