Synopsis:
In 1979, a group of kids are filming at their small town railway station when they witness a horrific train crash. Something escaped during the crash and now mysterious things are happening to the town.
Super 8 is a throwback to the late 70’s and early 80’s. The fact that it is set in the late 70’s aside, it’s a throwback to the early Spielberg family films like Goonies and E.T. The parallels with the Goonies are clear: A group of kids who discover a conspiracy that’s eerie, frightening and mystical that they can’t tell the adults about, that they have to deal with on their own. And like Goonies, the child characters are likeable and engaging and you’ll find yourself rooting for them. And in a very similar way to Goonies it turns out that the actions the kids take, although they wouldn’t be condoned by adults, are right all along; the kid’s perspective is what makes the difference to the situation. Super 8 will obviously draw comparisons with E.T. too, not least because one of the main features of the film is the ordeal of an alien trying to get home. But Super 8 also bears comparison with another early Spielberg film, Jaws. There are many similarities, not least the small town setting but also the lone Sheriff having to deal with a situation way above his pay grade.
That’s not to say that Super 8 is a copy of any of these, it certainly stands on its own two feet. But the influence of early Spielberg is clear even though the story, the action and the effects are given a 21st century makeover. There’s something for everyone in Super 8. If you’re a fan of early Spielberg, you’ll love it and if you’ve never seen the likes of Goonies, Stand By Me, E.T. or Jaws, Super 8 should inspire you to give them a go. And as seems to be the fashion recently, there's some bonus footage during the credits.
