Super Gr8
Super 8 - A Late Film Review by Nathan Brooks
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| Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of a train exploding. |
Story
On it's own the story isn't extremely amazing, it's just about a bunch of kids discovering a government conspiracy, although it is still interesting. It doesn't reveal too much, meaning you're kept in the dark throughout the majority of the film, so you're always wanting to find out what happens next.
The thing is though, that's sort of a sub plot. The main part of the story is the group of kids creating a film for a competition. This film is the motivation for everything they do in this film and it's how they end up discovering this conspiracy and it's certainly ver unique. It also spawns many conversations between the kids on how to make a good film. It's very meta.
There are times in the film when it does appear to just be trying to emulate the feel of a classic 80s adventure film. In the end, however, the film chooses an interesting and unique storyline, over attempting to clone E.T.
9.5/10
Characters
Super 8 is an example of one of those films that has so many characters, trying to develop every single one of them would make the film feel a little overstuffed. Fortunately, Abrams chose not to do that.
Instead, Abrams chose to very richly develop the main character. The film explores his relationship with his father, him dealing with the death of his mother as well as the relationship with the group friends making the film and with a girl helping the make a film.
This girl is also struggling with her relationship with her father, who greatly disapproves of her being with the main character, due to a difficult relationship between him and the main characters father.
It sounds complicated when I explain it, but it isn't in the film. It's all explored in quite a bit of detail and just overall done fairly well.
The other kids are basically just 80s clichés and despite the fact that it's intentional, it's not done in a particularly self aware way, although there still are some nods to the nature of their characters. They are just their for the main character's development, as well as to make jokes and say lots of swear words, but, as I've just said, the other characters I described are very well development and more than make up for the weaker supporting characters.
8.5/10
Looks
It's J.J. Abrams, so do expect a lot of lens flares. A lot of lens flares. Just a ridiculous amount of lens flares. Like, sometimes there's lens flares in a room with the lights off. I mean, how the heck does that even work?
The special effects are, however, very good and the explosions are few, but when they are there, man are they glorious.
8.5/10
Music
Super 8's music seems to be trying desperately to be John Williams, but never quite being John Williams. The reason being, is that it isn't John Williams, it's someone else and because of that, it's not so memorable. It's not awful either, it does do what it's supposed to do and works perfectly fine, it just isn't quite what it clearly wants to be.
7.5/10
Final Thoughts
After seeing Super 8, and seeing how well J.J. Abrams can do a fun, action packed, sci-fi adventure film, I'm pretty confident he'll do an excellent job with Star Wars. The story is intriguing, the main characters are very well written and the action and special effects are brilliant. Lets just hope Star Wars VII isn't going to have as many lens flares.
Overall: 8.5/10
There are times in the film when it does appear to just be trying to emulate the feel of a classic 80s adventure film. In the end, however, the film chooses an interesting and unique storyline, over attempting to clone E.T.
9.5/10
Characters
Super 8 is an example of one of those films that has so many characters, trying to develop every single one of them would make the film feel a little overstuffed. Fortunately, Abrams chose not to do that.
Instead, Abrams chose to very richly develop the main character. The film explores his relationship with his father, him dealing with the death of his mother as well as the relationship with the group friends making the film and with a girl helping the make a film.This girl is also struggling with her relationship with her father, who greatly disapproves of her being with the main character, due to a difficult relationship between him and the main characters father.
It sounds complicated when I explain it, but it isn't in the film. It's all explored in quite a bit of detail and just overall done fairly well.
The other kids are basically just 80s clichés and despite the fact that it's intentional, it's not done in a particularly self aware way, although there still are some nods to the nature of their characters. They are just their for the main character's development, as well as to make jokes and say lots of swear words, but, as I've just said, the other characters I described are very well development and more than make up for the weaker supporting characters.
8.5/10
Looks
It's J.J. Abrams, so do expect a lot of lens flares. A lot of lens flares. Just a ridiculous amount of lens flares. Like, sometimes there's lens flares in a room with the lights off. I mean, how the heck does that even work?
The special effects are, however, very good and the explosions are few, but when they are there, man are they glorious.
8.5/10
Music
Super 8's music seems to be trying desperately to be John Williams, but never quite being John Williams. The reason being, is that it isn't John Williams, it's someone else and because of that, it's not so memorable. It's not awful either, it does do what it's supposed to do and works perfectly fine, it just isn't quite what it clearly wants to be.
7.5/10
Final Thoughts
After seeing Super 8, and seeing how well J.J. Abrams can do a fun, action packed, sci-fi adventure film, I'm pretty confident he'll do an excellent job with Star Wars. The story is intriguing, the main characters are very well written and the action and special effects are brilliant. Lets just hope Star Wars VII isn't going to have as many lens flares.
Overall: 8.5/10
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