The Majesty of Super 8

Perhaps the best thing about J.J. Abrams latest film "Super 8" is not the amazing and hard to focus monster that stalks and wanders around a small town in open plain country USA, but the human characters that surround and interact with fantasy in this dramatic Sci-fi tale. In fact the characterization and personalities in "Super 8" are what make it a mighty science-fiction tale and not just a cheesy special effects laden diatribe worthy of straight-to-home-video release.

First of J. J . Abrams is a very talented director and more importantly a very excellent storyteller. In "Super 8" we're exposed to this ultra-detailed and character driven focus reminiscent of "Star Trek" and "Mission Impossible". Abrams stamps this movie with his own personal brand of detailed oriented filmmaking in the form of excellent sound, a vanishing alien, a unique spaceship, and well conceived setting. Each shot, and each image of the film, is articulate and visually pleasing. Abrams has an almost Kubrick-ian attention to detail demonstrated by the plot which stays poignant, interesting, and never dull no matter what the audience is looking at. Basically "Super 8" functions as a fantastic film just by itself regardless of acting, effects, and dialogue.

Going back to my original statement about "Super 8" the strongest aspect of the film is the acting done by the films youngest characters. The dialogue shared by the child stars is quick, natural, and well-written in every regard. Obviously Abrams pulled upon multiple childhood memories to create natural human environments with the young actors. These settings are so fantastic and so well-directed they make you completely forget about the fact you are watching a science-fiction movie entirely. Science-fiction works best when you don't make it the primary focus of your story and Abrams achieves this to perfection. You aren't even truly concerned about the colossal alien storming around the small town looking for supplies and perhaps victims. You're only concern are the concerns brought to you by the characters themselves, you are literally pulled into their world because the film creates such fantastic familiarity. This is the strongest element of the film.

Another reason I have selected this film as my favorite film of the summer is that it clearly demonstrates an aspect of storytelling that is very important to me through my struggles as a science-fiction writer. Science-fiction should only be used to enhance a story never to completely sustain it, characters are the most important element to your story because it allows your audience to relate to you as a writer. More often than not science-fiction becomes a crutch for a poorly crafted story, look at "Transformers" which is all admirable flash but no substance. In Abrams "Super 8" he achieves the perfect balance of reality and non-reality. Abrams does not revel in fantasy nor does he hide away from it. Using believable characters that are extremely realistic and building a unique monster that questions your moral fiber with its complexity Abrams encompasses what a good summer movie should be and what all the others aren't.