Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basson, Zack Mills, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard and Riley Griffiths
Running Time: 112 minutes
Certificate: 12
When the early rumours of SUPER 8 emerged, a mass of excitement engulfed the film world as a new project from J.J. Abrams was on the horizon. The man who had re-launched STAR TREK with immense assurance and breathed new life and grit into the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise was spreading secrets across the internet, subtle viral campaigns, hints of monsters and the classic super 8 film was all we really knew. However, J.J. decided to take a different stance to this release, whereas with CLOVERFIELD and LOST secrecy had been the name of the game for SUPER 8, he decided to come clean early on.
He takes us back to 1979 and to a small group of friends who just want to make a film in their small town. One night they witness (and are very much stuck in the middle) a suspicious train crash and as strange events start to happen locally, they begin to investigate a little further. The crash really does set the tone for the rest of this journey, as it moves almost instantaneously between poignant to literally explosive in the blink of an eye. 
There are echoes of Spielberg that it’s hard not to mention him, intelligent direction, the story centred on these young friends and the mysteries they’re exploring. This is not only a homage, it’s worth more of a second and third look than just that, SUPER 8 is whole new era and in a league of its own…with added, extra special lens flares. Spielberg’s Amblin alongside J.J. Abrams Bad Robot also produces the film, so all in all a special set up.
We’re also introduced to Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basson, Riley Griffiths and Zack Mills who are impressive in this adolescent ensemble. Courtney and Fanning particularly stand out in their lead roles, confused, passionate and determined to do something good from all the bad that surrounds their lives.
J.J. Abrams wanted to make a movie to help inspire generations now and ones yet to be, like Spielberg he had an idea for making a movie within a movie but not made by adults, made by kids. SUPER 8 succeeds massively by acknowledging the small town and the bigger story beyond. So switch off any scepticism, sit back and, instead, enjoy the escapism.
Extras: Blu-Ray: Contains 2 discs. Disc 1: Commentary by writer/director J.J. Abrams, producer Bryan Burk and cinematographer Larry Fong. Nine ‘behind the scenes’ Featurettes. Deconstructing the Train Crash and Deleted Scenes. Disc 2: The film and a digital copy
DVD: The film. Commentary by writer/director J.J. Abrams, producer Bryan Burk and cinematographer Larry Fong. The Dream behind Super 8. The Visitor Lives.
SUPER 8 is available on Blu-Ray and DVD now.
